Madonna slams misogynist critics of her Grammy appearance: ‘You won’t break my soul’
Madonna introduces Kim Petras and Sam Smith at the 2023 Grammys
Madonna has hit back at critics after her appearance at the Grammy awards triggered a vitriolic wave of ageism and misogyny.
In a lengthy Instagram post addressing the comments about her “unrecognisable” appearance during Sunday’s music award show, in which she introduced Sam Smith and Kim Petras ahead of their performance of “Unholy”, the Queen of Pop condemned the endless negativity about her appearance.
Madonna explained that while it had been an “honour” to introduce Petras as the first openly trans person to win a Grammy, she’d been disheartened that it was her face that had become the source of discussion rather than the history-making moment.
“Instead of focusing on what I said in my speech which was about giving thanks for the fearlessness of artists like Sam and Kim – many people chose to only talk about close-up photos of me taken with a long lens camera by a press photographer that would distort anyone’s face,” she began.
Madonna went on to write that the criticism of her appearance proves that she is “caught in the glare of ageism and misogyny”.
“A world that refuses to celebrate women past the age of 45 and feels the need to punish her if she continues to be strong-willed, hard-working and adventurous,” she continued.
Madonna’s subversive, groundbreaking career can certainly be described as such. Decades before bigots decided Sam Smith was branded a degenerate for drinking champagne in the music video for “I’m Not Here To Make Friends”, or Lady Gaga was summoning the Illuminati with “Bloody Mary”, Madonna – for want of a better phrase – been there and done that.
And, according to the caption to a montage of the superstar alongside stars such as Ab-Soul, Sam Smith, DJ Honey Dijon, Dopey, and Cardi B, she’s not slowing down any time soon.
“I have never apologised for any of the creative choices I have made nor the way that I look or dress and I’m not going to start,” the pop legend wrote.
“I have been degraded by the media since the beginning of my career but I understand that this is all a test and I am happy to do the trailblazing so that all the women behind me can have an easier time in the years to come.”
Of course, Madonna’s “trailblazing” duties haven’t just started.
She’s been excommunicated by the Pope after using religious imagery of burning crosses in videos such as “Like A Prayer”, published a very graphic book called Sex in 1992, rivalled Princess Diana in the amount of awareness raised around the AIDS epidemic and even included a safe sex advice leaflet for LGBTQ+ youth in her Like a Prayer album.
Madonna ended her post with with a lyric from Beyonce’s hit single ‘You Won’t Break My Soul’, before adding:
“I look forward to many more years of subversive behaviour, pushing boundaries, standing up to the patriarchy and most of all enjoying my life.”
