Music legend Madonna is slamming everyone who roasted her online and in the media after her appearance at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on February 5.
The singer took to Instagram to hit back at critics who have been ridiculing the star since she presented the award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance to Sam Smith and Kim Petra for the song “Unholy.” She posted a reel of herself irreverently frolicking with Smith and other artists after the show, and posted a statement in the caption calling out her critics for discriminating against her due to her age and sex.
Madonna expressed her pride over presenting the first Grammy ever awarded to a trans woman. The star said she was disgusted that her critics ignored the significance of Petras’ win to focus on enforcing patriarchal regulations on her appearance.
“Once again I am caught in the glare of ageism and misogyny that permeates the world we live in. 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.”
Madonna’s irreverence is an act of resistance. By remaining unapologetic about her appearance, she is refusing to capitulate to the current standards. Her view is that the problem is not how she looks but that her critics believe they are entitled to judge and demean her.
Thoughout her career, Madonna has never shied away from controversy. She has masterfully used criticism to challenge the status quo and catapult her brand to greater heights. The 64 year-old rebel continues to oppose oppressive social standards with the same grit as stars like Marlene Dietrich and Mae West, who also refused to bend to sexist and ageist standards later in life.
