Look who’s turning 60! Madonna, the world’s best-selling female recording artist and the culture-changer we all grew up with. You may not like her fake British accent but let’s recognize that not only is she showing she can pack a stadium at this life stage, but she’s also a pioneer in a million and one ways.
Remember how she popularized so many styles, from an armload of rubber bracelets to corsets and crinolines? Or her sex-fueled “Like a Virgin” song and her “Sex” book, owning a woman’s right to her sexuality and pleasure? How she explored her relationship with religion in “Like a Prayer”? How she got us thinking about taking yoga classes decades ago as she showed off her biceps? And how she made song after song that got us dancing?
We watched her personal life’s ups and downs, we saw her fight for creative control over her work, and saw her global conscience grow. She cofounded Raising Malawi, to help African orphans, and has asked people, if they are so moved, to donate on her birthday.
And let’s not overlook what a crusader she’s been to fight the invisibility of older women. She has been quoted as saying, “The most controversial thing I’ve done is stick around,” alluding to the haters who say on social media that she should “cover it up” and give it up because she’s no longer a young thing.
Happy Birthday, Madonna – please stay in the spotlight showing what we un-young women can do.
–Janet Siroto
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