'Madonna is gay?' Fans and critics are hung up on the pop icon's cryptic TikTok
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Madonna is no stranger to dividing audiences. But with her latest TikTok, the hitmaker faces a flurry of both support and criticism.
"If I miss, I'm Gay," the pop star captioned a TikTok video posted on Sunday. The brief clip featured the singer in her luxury boudoir playing basketball with a pair of hot pink panties and a trash can. She attempted to throw the underwear into the bin, but instead it landed on the floor. Unbothered by her missed shot, Madge turned around and waved a peace sign.
If the caption holds true, then Madonna just might have come out as gay in her TikTok, which went viral and received a mixed bag of reactions.
"Did I just witness Madonna coming out, good for her," one TikTok user replied to the video.
"We are witnessing herstory," said another.
The TikTok prompted conversation about the "Material Girl" singer's sexuality but also sparked conversation about whether the pop icon was "queerbaiting," pandering to fans within the LGBTQ community to gain popularity or boost sales.
"It's just a trend queer baiters do to get attention," one Twitter user said, dismissing Madonna's video and her potential coming out.
Other Twitter users said the singer "is not gay" and "just wants attention," and that her video on TikTok is Madonna's way to "seek validation from young people, stay relevant."
Madonna is gay now?
That doesn’t at all seem like desperate attention-seeking.— Dr. Henry Rose (@thehankrose) October 10, 2022
Other Twitter uses came to Madonna's defense.
"People calling her queerbaiting. They clearly don't know WHO MADONNA IS. This new generation really need to educate themselves and stop saying whatever s— comes in their little head," said a Twitter fan in response to the claims.
"oh I KNOW the term 'queerbaiting' has lost all meaning when the tik Tok teens are using it on MADONNA," said another.
In addition to criticizing the social media users who dubbed Madonna a queer baiter or saying that she isn't welcome to the queer community, fans brought attention to the singer's long history of allyship for the LGBTQ community, including raising awareness for AIDS in the ’80s.
"Madonna was one of the few celebrities speaking out about it and using her considerable resource to destigmatize it and get things done," a Twitter user said. "Under all the hype, she's the real deal."
Twitter also brought up the singer's infamous lip-lock with Britney Spears at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, which was one in a handful of times the singer publicly showed affection for other women.
Recently, Madonna partnered up with rapper Tokischa for "Hung Up on Tokischa," a new take on the former's popular 2005 hit. In their music video, the two musicians can be seen caressing each other in suggestive positions and kissing. The duo also were seen locking lips at a fashion show in September.
If the "Vogue" singer is gay, as she suggested in her TikTok, it comes as "no surprise" for some fans simply because "NO heterosexual can serve as hard as she does."
See more reactions to Madonna's cryptic TikTok below.
am i in a fever dream or did madonna just come out as gay
— Lilith Sanderson 🔮 (@missysumbrella) October 9, 2022
So is Madonna actually gay? If not are we coming after her for ‘gay baiting’ and hold her to the same standards we do with Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles and Charlie Puth? Or does she get a free pass being a woman?
— The Maltese Stallion (@themaltstallion) October 9, 2022
I don't believe Madonna is gay. She's been married to two men and therefore had sex with two men only.
— Alex Dale (@typofoto) October 10, 2022
raise your hand if madonna coming out as gay wasn’t on your 2022 bingo card
— hazardously hysterical homicidal homosexual hitman (@wh01sT1lly) October 9, 2022
Madonna is gay? What is happening. I’m confused
— 𝓐𝓲𝓶𝓮𝓮 (@boobs_not_dudes) October 10, 2022
Madonna coming out as gay is honestly the least surprising thing I could imagine.
Are yall ok?— Amanda (@EruditeElf) October 10, 2022
are we gonna talk about the fact that Madonna just posted a tik tok saying she’s gay?!?!?!
— casey 🕸 (@caseyonIine) October 9, 2022
The fact that most ppl always thought Madonna was straight is so ironic. She's been considered one of the biggest gay icons since the 80s but ppl thought she was an ally until today even tho she's been openly bi since the 90s. It's so wild if you think about it.
— An (@shaunasknife) October 9, 2022
Madonna comes out as gay on TicToc for the young fans. They don't know her history lol. #Madonna #gay
— De De (@stephenrafter89) October 10, 2022
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.