Anais Gutierrez
Madonna delivered a blunt speech when she accepted the Billboard’s Woman of the Year Award. Billboard Women in Music is an annual event that recognizes women’s contributions to the industry. It started in 2007 with Reba McEntire, and this year’s award was given to the one and only Queen of Pop.
With over 30 years in the music business, the singer was awarded by the annual event this year. Madonna took the opportunity to address important issues such as bullying, misogyny, abuse, and sexism in the industry, as she spoke about struggling with them during her career.
The result? an amazing and powerful speech.
Don’t be a doormat, be a lion.
Madonna delivered a strong and beautiful speech. The iconic performer went through different moments of her career and told us how she has struggled and made her way since day one in the industry. Above all the gave a strong message to the women in the crowd, she made a call to the stereotypes in the industry and assured the solution was the union and empowerment among women.
“I stand before you as a doormat. Oh, I mean as a female entertainer.”
The speech began with a joke about feeling better when having something hard between her legs, but it quickly got to a serious and powerful tone. The singer thanked Billboard for acknowledging her ability to stand and continue despite the different struggles she has faced throughout her 34-year career.
The beginning of her career.
Madonna went down to memory lane and talked about the first years of her career. She talked about being a teenager in New York in the 80’s, being scared and robbed many times. She also shared touching moments when she talked about losing almost all her friends to AIDS, and about being raped during her first year in NY.
“There are no rules – if you’re a boy. There are rules if you’re a girl.”
The performer then talked about having female artists as inspiration but acknowledged David Bowie as her true muse. She explained how she identified to Bowie’s refusal to conform to traditional standards, and how she wanted to follow that. Only she realized that that freedom only applied to men, and not women. This way she criticized sexism in the industry.
Haters all over.
The artist then remembered being the target of endless critics after the release of her album Erotica and her book “Sex.” For her, the book and the album represented her control over her own sexuality and standing up for her beliefs. But at that time she was really criticized and she felt like she didn’t have a female peer to support her.
“As women, we have to start appreciating our own worth and each other’s worth.”
Madonna considers herself a bad feminist because she’s different. She made a call for women, to join, respect and support each other. She thanked people who always supported her, as well as those who offered resistance because they’ve contributed making her the woman she is today.
Madonna’s speech touched women all over the world.
Lady Gaga tweeted the actress to thank her for her inspiring speech.There’s been a bit of tension between the two of them, after some comments Gaga made, but this tweet lets us now that everything’s ok.
@Madonna your speech at the Billboard Music Awards was inspiring. You're so brave & strong. Thanks for being that for us girls we need that.
— xoxo, Gaga (@ladygaga) December 12, 2016
Women reacted positively to the powerful speech.
https://twitter.com/cmwincott/status/808660889197019136
.@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
Even if you're not a Madonna fan, go listen to her speech from Billboard's Women in Music Awards. Truly inspirational.
— Lovely Little Lonely (@whitneylou13) December 13, 2016
Men also took a bow to the powerful words.
Thank u @Madonna! This is exactly what the world needed to hear right now & for many years! This is why u are the 👑. @billboard #takeabow https://t.co/wLXndkyA0y
— Frankie James Grande (@FrankieJGrande) December 14, 2016
Madonna's speech at Billboard's #WomenInMusic reminds me of what draws me, and so many of us, to her n her work TBH https://t.co/V3seSbZ5tx pic.twitter.com/nBS9oSaQi2
— Conor Behan (@platinumjones) December 9, 2016
People are asking for an album with this raw feelings.
Would love #Madonna to channel the anger and balls of that #Billboardwomanoftheyear speech into an album. #Billboard
— Jonathan Larkin (@jonnylarkin) December 9, 2016
I want @Madonna to cut a new album solely as expressive & passionate & profound & raw as this @billboard speech right now. #badfeminist ❤️💔🙏
— femalepersuasion.net (@femalep) December 13, 2016
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