Buzz

Madonna: “Gay Rights are way more advanced than Women’s Rights”

Published on March 11, 2015

Do you know what it feels like in this world, for a girl? Madonna does, and she has some thoughts about how it could be better. Chatting with Out recently to promote her new album, Rebel Heart, the “Living for Love” singer made a bold statement about women’s rights — or the lack thereof.

“Gay rights are way more advanced than women’s rights,” the mother of four, 56, told the mag. “People are a lot more open-minded to the gay community than they are to women, period.”

That wasn’t always the case, of course, but in recent years, at least, Madge thinks women have fallen — or been left — behind. “It’s moved along for the gay community, for the African-American community, but women are still just trading on their ass,” argued the superstar, who has been a vocal LGBT supporter throughout her entire career.

“To me, the last great frontier is women.”

Pressed to elaborate, she replied, “Women are still the most marginalized group. They’re still the group that people won’t let change…You must fit into this box: You must behave this way, dress this way.”

Madonna has never been one to conform, of course, but as Out notes, even she faces criticism for her outfits and lifestyle choices.

“You’re still categorized — you’re still either a virgin or a whore,” she continued. “If you’re a certain age, you’re not allowed to express your sexuality, be single, or date younger men.”

Speaking of dating, Madonna told Out she used to pine after gay men in New York City, where she moved after dropping out of the University of Michigan.

“I didn’t feel like straight men understood me. They just wanted to have sex with me,” she explained. “Gay men understood me, and I felt comfortable around them. There was only that one problem, which is that they didn’t want to have sex with me! So…conundrum!”