Major Backlash Hits Madonna: Much Ado About Nothing?
Madonna is used to ruffling feathers, but lately she seems to be the target of a remarkable amount of backlash. Is all this criticism warranted? The following is a look at just some of the many controversies surrounding The Material Girl.
First we have those criticizing her for refusing to tone down her racy image as she ages. Apparently, a lot of people feel that it is simply inappropriate for a middle-aged woman to sing about sex while wearing a revealing outfit. Look, Madonna is provocative. She is sexually-charged. This has been her image since the beginning of her career and there is no reason for her to change that now. Just as she pushed the envelope in the 80s and 90s by demonstrating that women can be sexually assertive and feminine at the same time, Madonna is now demonstrating that women don’t magically stop being sexual once they reach a certain age.
The next contentious issue is the so-called “feud” between Madonna and Lady Gaga, and Madonna’s insistence on keeping said feud alive, despite the deafening silence from Gaga. Madonna fans argue that Gaga has ripped Madge’s style and music, particularly with the song ‘Born This Way,’ and that Madonna has every right to give her hell for it. Gaga fans counter by calling Madonna a hypocrite, pointing out that she herself has done quite a bit of “borrowing” over the years. By now, everyone has already taken a side on the ‘Born This Way’ vs. ‘Express Yourself’ debacle, and Madonna is not going to win anyone over by continually making passive-aggressive digs at Gaga. It's time she let this one go.
Finally, we have the gun controversy, easily the touchiest issue to be taken on by Madonna in some time. Critics have blasted Madonna as insensitive for continuing to use prop guns in her show after the horrific Aurora theater shooting that left 12 dead and many more injured. What happened in Aurora was unspeakable, and most certainly should not be mocked or exploited. Thankfully, Madonna has done no such thing. Her use of fake guns at her show predates the shooting, and unless you intentionally take her gun-toting out of context, it is hard to construe it as the heartless gesture it has been made out to be. Hopefully, Madonna’s long history of philanthropy and peace advocacy will save her from being judged too harshly on this issue.
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