Madonna’s Unapologetic Speech At Billboard Women In Music Event: Watch
Go ahead and call her an “Unapologetic Bitch.” Last night (December 9), Madonna attended Billboard’s Women in Music event to accept her award for Woman of the Year. The Queen of Pop was as outspoken as ever.
“I stand before you as a doormat. Oh, I mean, as a female entertainer,” she said. “Thank you for acknowledging my ability to continue my career for 34 years in the face of blatant sexism and misogyny and constant bullying and relentless abuse.”
Madonna has been criticized for one comment in particular, after video footage was posted to Twitter. “Michael [Jackson] is gone Tupac is gone. Prince is gone. Whitney [Houston] is gone. Amy Winehouse is gone. David Bowie is gone. But I’m still standing,” she said, to polite applause.
But in full context, what Madonna said makes more sense. During her speech, she also detailed the sexism and bullying she has faced throughout her career, as a woman in the music industry. One brutal segment has her listing commandments by which female musicians are supposed to operate.
“I was of course inspired by Debbie Harry and Chrissie Hynde and Aretha Franklin, but my real muse was David Bowie,” she said. He embodied male and female spirit and that suited me just fine. He made me think there were no rules. But I was wrong. There are no rules — if you’re a boy. If you’re a girl, you have to play the game. What is that game? You’re allowed to be pretty and cute and sexy. But don’t act too smart. Don’t have an opinion. Don’t have an opinion that is out of line with the status quo, at least.
“You’re allowed to be objectified by men and dress like a slut, but don’t own your slutiness. And do not, I repeat, do not share your own sexual fantasies with the world. Be what men want you to be, but more importantly be what women feel comfortable with you being around other men. And finally, do not age because to age is a sin. You will be criticized. You will be vilified, and you will definitely not be played on the radio.”
Watch snippets of Madonna’s Billboard Women in Music speech below.
.@Madonna‘s commandments for being a woman in the music industry are absolutely brutal. #womeninmusic pic.twitter.com/YlP8SfEIin
— Maeve McDermott (@maeve_mcdermott) December 9, 2016
“Michael is gone, Tupac is gone, Whitney is gone, Prince is gone, Amy Winehouse is gone, Bowie is gone…and I’m still standing.” –@Madonna pic.twitter.com/lzMTaAYFqK
— Maeve McDermott (@maeve_mcdermott) December 9, 2016
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