Madonna Takes a Fall in Her Crusade Against Age Discrimination
Madonna is fighting a war against ageism, and the response to her tumble at the Brit Awards Wednesday night is only her latest battle. The 56-year-old pop star’s cause came to life thanks to the old-lady jokes that circulated online after her fall, which was immediately immortalized as a viral meme.
“We’ve fought for the civil rights movement, we’ve fought for gay rights, there’s so much political correctness where people are not allowed to say things, or would never think of saying things or would never dream of making a discriminating remark or judging somebody because they’re gay or because they’re black or because they’re Muslim or whatever,” said the star in the latest issue of Rolling Stone, describing age discrimination as the last great frontier and “the one area where you can totally discriminate against somebody and talk s--t because of their age.”
But amid the gay icon’s crusade to combat ageism, she neglected to acknowledge that the fight against homophobia and racism still continue in this country. Her remarks are reminiscent of those made by best supporting actress winner Patricia Arquette at the Oscars Sunday night, in which the 46-year-old Boyhood actor said backstage, “It’s time for all the women in America, and all the men that love women and all the gay people and all the people of color that we’ve all fought for, to fight for us now!”
Arquette later clarified her comments on Twitter, but some critics initially took issue with her implied assumption that historically marginalized groups needed to band together for the sake of straight white women. While Madonna attempts to advance the conversation about age discrimination, she seems to be using the same faulty logic to similarly suggest that women’s rights are somehow in opposition—or superior—to gay rights or civil rights.
“No one would dare to say a degrading remark about being black or dare to say a degrading remark on Instagram about someone being gay,” she told Rolling Stone. But people do make degrading remarks on Instagram about homosexuality—and often in very public displays. Last summer, singer Ariana Grande defended her gay half-brother when an Instagram commenter used a gay slur to describe him. Just this week, E! News host Giuliana Rancic’s comments about 18-year-old singer Zendaya’s dreadlocks ignited a heated Internet debate about racism. Those are only the most high-profile instances of reported homophobia and racism, as called out by celebrities.
Madonna added that the age discrimination she speaks of affects “only females, though. Not males. So in that respect we still live in a very sexist society.” Her point was driven home by the backlash following her tumble, which she attributed to an Armani cape malfunction. Memes aimed at Madonna depicted the elderly stars of medical alarm TV commercials along with the catchphrase “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up!”
Madonna didn’t miss a beat after getting dragged backward down a set of stairs by her long shimmering cape. Despite her immediate recovery, jokes about her needing a hip replacement dominated Twitter and even inspired a parody video that combines the concert footage with an ad for LifeCall, an emergency response system marketed to senior citizens.
If the Twitter reaction was any indication, ageism is on the rise: Age discrimination claims have risen by more than 35 percent in the last 15 years, according to AARP. The over-65 group is growing larger. By 2050, the demographic is expected to account for more than 20 percent of the total U.S. population, up from 13 percent in 2010, according to the Stanford Center on Longevity.
“If I have to be the person who opens the door for women to believe and understand and embrace the idea that they can be sexual and look good and be as relevant in their 50s or their 60s or whatever as they were in their 20s, then so be it,” Madonna told Rolling Stone.
But to stay relevant, Madonna might have to do more than moon the crowd at the Grammys, which she characterized as an act of defiance against age stereotypes. “This is what a 56-year-old ass looks like, motherf----r,” she said.
A 56-year-old ass, indeed.
Original article from TakePart
