Madonna at 60: A controversial female icon

Not everyone might feel comfortable with Madonna being regarded as a feminist icon. She’s an icon for sure, albeit a controversial one. And really, you could argue therein lies the charisma of Madonna– she doesn’t shy away from controversy. In fact, tracing her career, you could say she enjoys facing them head on. But whether you think she’s a feminist or not, it’s safe to say she won’t really care what you think. She knows what she believes in, and she stands by her truth.“I’m tough, I’m ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a b*tch, okay,” goes one of her most famous quotes.

Her impact goes beyond fingerless gloves, fishnet stockings, and oversized bangles. In honor of the original pop royalty turning 60, we list down the ways she’s had an impact on women and the feminist movement.

Inspired women to own their sexuality

Here was an Italian catholic girl, unabashedly singing about how much she enjoys sex in several of her songs. The same theme of flaunting sexuality is seen throughout her career, from her costumes to her projects, and statements. One article from New York Times said, “Madonna is the true feminist. She exposes the puritanism and suffocating ideology of American feminism, which is stuck in an adolescent whining mode. Madonna has taught young women to be fully female and sexual while still exercising total control over their lives. She shows girls how to be attractive, sensual, energetic, ambitious, aggressive and funny–all at the same time.”

Broke gender norms

She was one of the first female icons who celebrated androgyny. She even cited David Bowie as her muse, saying “He embodied male and female spirit and that suited me just fine. He made me think there were no rules.” Several of her music also challenged the boundaries of femininity. In the music video of “Human Nature,” she shows the men who’s really in charge while singing “Express yourself / don’t repress yourself”