Sexism is rife, says Madonna ... posing raunchily on a sofa
OF all the possible words to describe Madonna, conventional wouldn’t be one of them.
So naturally the singer has found a novel way to address the delicate issue of gender discrimination.
The 56-year-old has claimed sexism is still rife in society, warning women: ‘Don’t be fooled, not much has changed.’ But some may be surprised by the choice of photographs to accompany the star’s statements.
Her latest photoshoot features the controversial singer semi-naked and pulling a series of sexually provocative poses.
Madonna, who has enjoyed a 33-year career, is pictured reclining seductively on a sofa with her hands suggestively placed on her body and straddling a chair in racy lingerie in the shoot for the 50th anniversary US edition of Cosmopolitan magazine. It comes just days after she used social networking site Instagram to post a nude picture of herself, apparently in protest at the site’s censorship rules.
In the interview accompanying the images, the star took issue with the suggestion that the music business had become easier for women over the years. She warned: ‘Don’t be fooled, not much has changed – certainly not for women. We still live in a very sexist society that wants to limit people.
‘Since I started, I’ve had people giving me a hard time because they didn’t think you could be sexual or have sexuality or sensuality in your work and be intelligent at the same time. For me, the fight has never ended.’ She also used the interview to hit back at those who criticise her online, adding: ‘You can hide behind your computer or your phone and say whatever you want – you’re not known.
‘Could you say it to my face? Would you say it to my face? I doubt it.’