Feminism of Madonna

Lore & Background

Madonna's feminist reception has been vast, with scholars such as Karlene Faith, Sarah Churchwell, and Mary Cross noting the polarization surrounding her. Lucy O'Brien referred to her as a 'complex feminist heroine'. The advent of Madonna was viewed by some scholars as a boost for feminism in music; Camille Paglia believed she 'changed' the face of feminism in the 1990s. During her career peak, the media considered her a role model for other women, with Strawberry Saroyan seeing this as 'one of the most relevant aspects' of her legacy. However, she was also criticized in equal or greater measure, with French critic Georges-Claude Guilbert noting that the amount of reproaches she received was proportional to her status.

Reader's Guide

Madonna has received extensive academic attention in feminist studies. Mary Cross stated that 'Madonna has inspired reams of feminist commentary', and authors in Future Texts (2015) explained that 'Madonna remains a center of debate and contestation in the postfeminist era'. Scholars in Ageing, Popular Culture and Contemporary Feminism (2014) determined that Madonna is 'easily the most overdetermined figure in the interest of feminist scholars working in the field of popular culture studies'. The feminist debate surrounding her has divided opinions, with some feminists appreciating her for self-empowerment and independence, while others criticized her for challenging feminism's unified concept of 'woman' or damaging the women's movement. Camille Paglia famously called Madonna a 'true feminist' and 'the future of feminism'. Conversely, some saw her as 'the antithesis of feminism', and Rosemary Pringle concluded that her status as a feminist heroine makes sense only from the perspective of a white woman, depending on cultural and racial context.

Did You Know?

• Madonna's feminist significance has been pondered by college courses, according to Canadian pundit Mark Steyn.
• Some feminists left a conference at University of California, Santa Barbara unable to decide if Madonna was a feminist icon.