Madonna Louise Ciconne became famous for pushing the boundaries of what was “acceptable” in the music industry and beyond in the ’80s and ’90s. Through her songs and image, she showed women that they could be sexy for themselves, not just for men. Here’s how the singer’s provocative image has affected modern culture and female liberation.
Sexuality vs. Shame
One of Madonna’s first successes in her musical career was her 1984 studio album Like a Virgin. It sold 21 million copies worldwide, and the title track topped the Hot 100 chart for six weeks in a row. That’s when conservatives first noticed Madonna. They complained that the video for the song promoted premarital sex and undermined family values. They tried to ban the video and the song itself. But Madonna only continued to tease the moralists. At the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards, she performed Like a Virgin in a white wedding dress and provocatively rolled around the stage several times, showing off her underwear.
In 1989, Madonna signed a contract with Pepsi. In a commercial for the soda, she presented her new song Like a Prayer. The innocent advertisement caused a scandal. Religious organizations criticized the original video for the song for the stigmata on the artist’s hands and the burning of crosses, as well as for hints at the connection between racial injustice and religion. Since Like a Prayer was played in a Pepsi commercial featuring Madonna, they demanded that it be banned. As a result, Pepsi gave in to public pressure. The commercial was removed, and the contract with the singer was terminated. Nevertheless, Like a Prayer topped the charts in many countries, becoming Madonna’s seventh song to hit number one on the Hot 100.
In 1990, Madonna embarked on the Blond Ambition world tour. That’s when the singer appeared on stage in a sexy corset with a cone-shaped bra by French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier. The tour again provoked criticism of Madonna’s moral character. The song Like a Virgin (again!) was especially infuriating . During its performance, two dancers caressed Madonna’s body, and she simulated masturbation. In contrast to the moralists, Rolling Stone magazine called Madonna’s tour “a sexually provocative extravaganza” and “the best tour of 1990.”
In October 1992, Madonna released the book Sex. Inside was a series of sexually provocative photographs of the singer taken by Steven Meisel. On the first day, 150,000 copies were sold in the US. The book topped the New York Times bestseller list for three weeks. But, of course, the book was not without criticism. Even some fans thought that Madonna had gone too far. Although this did not prevent the book from flying around the world with 1.5 million copies in the first days of publication. The singer herself said that she released Sex to free America and people around the world from their complexes.
These are just a few of the examples of Madonna angering and teasing the public. The singer’s behavior was considered scandalous and unacceptable. The authors of the collection “The Sunken Worlds of Madonna” believe that the criticism was so fierce largely because Madonna was a woman. They cited Elvis Presley and Mick Jagger as examples . Their provocations and playing on their own attractiveness earned the artists the title of “sex gods.” But Madonna, who openly demonstrated her sexuality, faced criticism.
Through censorship and attacks from religion and society, Madonna promoted ideas of a new female sexuality – bold and liberated. A woman in the singer’s mind no longer needed approval and permission to be sexual. Now it may seem that Madonna’s actions were not so provocative, but for the society of the 1980s and 90s, it was truly a breakthrough.
The 1996 Hutchinson Softback Encyclopedia defined Madonna as “an American pop singer and actress who presents herself on stage and in videos with exaggerated sexuality.” Today, scientists, sexologists, and feminists seriously study the phenomenon of Madonna as a sex icon. Many researchers believe that with her image, she forever changed some ideas about sexuality.
Sexuality vs. Patriarchal Control
The authors of the Encyclopedia of Women in the Modern World wrote that Madonna became one of the important figures for exploring the views of the 2010s, including views on sex. Women were inspired by the singer’s example and began to rethink their sexuality.
Professor Santiago Fouz-Hernandez wrote that Madonna became a symbol of sexual liberation for women. Philosopher Susan Bordo presented the singer in the 80s as a liberated young woman who defied patriarchal control. She carried this image into wider pop culture. Madonna did not reject the male gaze, but teased it with her own. An article for Adweek’s Marketing Week wrote that “unlike other sex symbols, Madonna did not portray herself as a victim.”
“Madonna never presented herself as an object of male sexual desire; she presented herself as her own conductor, something that has always bothered straight men. Provocation helped take something that men had controlled for centuries and turn it against them. Because of Madonna, women were allowed to want to ‘f*ck’. This was something that was looked down upon 25 years ago.”
Third-wave feminists embraced Madonna as a symbol of female sexuality. Although certain movements perceived her image in their own way, wrote researcher Brian McNair. Thus, supporters of pornography supported the singer’s deliberately sexual image, while opponents of this industry claimed that Madonna’s actions only harmed women. Semiotician Marcel Danesi expressed the opinion that, one way or another, the singer presented a new form of feminism. She showed women how to express sexuality on their own terms.
after the release of the book Sex
Madonna promoted sex, but safe sex. She has spoken out on numerous occasions about the risk of HIV infection from unprotected sex. The singer supported charities during the AIDS pandemic in the 1980s and 1990s (and continues to do so today). During concerts, she reminded audiences to use condoms and even handed them out. In a 1988 school commercial, Madonna said , “Avoid casual sex and you’ll avoid AIDS” and “Stay away from people who use drugs.” She has promoted safe sex in interviews and has spoken at AIDS charities.
For a long time, there were rumors that Madonna herself was HIV-positive. However, they were not confirmed. Researchers from the 1993 collection “The Madonna Connection” wrote that some people found it easier to believe that the singer was sick with HIV or even AIDS. Because society perceived these diseases as punishment for immoral behavior, which some considered Madonna to be the embodiment.
Sexuality vs. Prejudice
Today, Madonna is already over 60. She is not so actively involved in music, but she has not abandoned the fight against prejudice. If at 25, Madonna promoted a new sexuality for girls, now she defends the sexuality of adult women. The singer continues to appear in public in revealing outfits and talk about sex. Just like 40 years ago, not everyone is favorable to this. Thus, in 2021, her erotic photo shoot received unflattering reviews . Critics believed that Madonna was too old for this and it was time for her to stop flaunting her body parts.