Madonna Talks LGBTQ Fans, Queer Artists & More Following Her GLAAD Media Award Win: Exclusive

[Luiz Ribeiro 6,151]

 

For as long as she has been creating music, Madonna has served as a source of love and inspiration for her LGBTQ fans. Whether it was through her unflinching advocacy throughout the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, or her loving tributes to her gay fans on songs like “Vogue” or “Forbidden Love,” Madonna always made sure her queer fans felt seen.

On Saturday night (May 4), the LGBTQ community returned the favor as Madonna accepted the Advocate for Change award at the 30th annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York City. Taking to the stage, the star said that being an outspoken ally was imperative to the success of her career. “Fighting for all marginalized people was a duty and an honor I could not turn my back on, nor will I ever,” she said.

 

The star spoke about how her first dance teacher, Christopher Flynn, was a gay man, and how he and countless numbers of her other friends inspired her to become the performer that she is today. “I finally felt like I was not alone, that it was OK to be different and to not be like everybody else. And that after all, I was not a freak.”

Madonna spoke to Billboard just after giving her acceptance speech on the GLAAD stage, saying that throughout her career, she has been able to relate to her LGBTQ fans thanks to her experience as a woman who defies convention. “The fact that I continue to be adventurous and mischievous and creative, it's almost like a crime to a lot of people,” she said. “Like, ‘How dare you? Why do you keep doing it?’ I'm one hundred percent sure that people wouldn't say that to me if I was a man.”

A number of presenters introduced Madonna before her speech, including CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Rosie O’Donnell, and Mykki Blanco, the queer rapper who Madonna recently collaborated with for her hotly-anticipated upcoming album, Madame X. “I’m still fairly new in this business. Thank you Madonna, my friend, for making me feel so very welcome,” Blanco said on stage.

 

The pop goddess told Billboard that Blanco was merely one of so many queer artists inspiring her in this day and age, also citing South African performer Nakhane as a major influence on her recent music. “He is brilliant,” she said, saying she found him after watching his film The Wound. “Then I heard he was a singer, and we became friends, and now I'm in love with him. He's the best."

Throughout her speech, Madonna also spoke up about her activism during the AIDS epidemic, at one point telling a story of when she visited an AIDS ward at the former St. Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan, and later being asked by the press if she herself was HIV positive. “Suddenly, everything clicked into place,” she said. “I realized then and there that if you were going to stick your neck out and fight for the rights of people who are feared or misunderstood dor different, you better be ready for the lies, the bullying, the bullshit, the gossip, the hatred, and the abuse.”

But in our after-show interview with the icon, Madonna emphasized nothing but gratitude to her LGBTQ fans, where she said their relationship was based on “total reciprocation” and inspiration. “They made me feel not afraid to be different, and I made them feel not afraid to be different. I was blown away by people's bravery, and courage and outspokenness, and ... not bowing down to fear. That, in turn, inspired me.”

 

https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/pride/8510095/madonna-talks-lgbtq-fans-queer-artists-more-following-her-glaad-media

[Joseebus 2,546]

Her wall is rarely so down as it is here. Beautiful interview.

https://www.today.com/video/madonna-to-the-lgbtq-community-never-give-up-hope-58949701550

[Luiz Ribeiro 6,151]

34 minutes ago, Joseebus said:

Her wall is rarely so down as it is here. Beautiful interview.

https://www.today.com/video/madonna-to-the-lgbtq-community-never-give-up-hope-58949701550

OMG.... it's so touching...... thx for sharing <3

[groovyguy 63,855]

 

[Guest]

Kabbalah Centre believes men who have sex with men are animals. They believe homosexuality is something which the soul needs to correct. Gay men are female souls in male bodies. For a man to wear female clothes is “abomination” so I’m  confused about her position. She makes them a lot of money so they don’t wanna rock that but it would make sense why she kind of went cold on her gay audience for a long time. 

They claimed some gay followers of Kabbalah have changed themselves and are happily married with kids. 

They will always say outwardly “no judgement” but within they know what they believe. 

Source? I’ve been a student with them for 17 years. 

[Mp1992 259]

1 hour ago, anaglyphx said:

Kabbalah Centre believes men who have sex with men are animals. They believe homosexuality is something which the soul needs to correct. Gay men are female souls in male bodies. For a man to wear female clothes is “abomination” so I’m  confused about her position. She makes them a lot of money so they don’t wanna rock that but it would make sense why she kind of went cold on her gay audience for a long time. 

They claimed some gay followers of Kabbalah have changed themselves and are happily married with kids. 

They will always say outwardly “no judgement” but within they know what they believe. 

Source? I’ve been a student with them for 17 years. 

Madonna doesn't study the Kabbalah anymore

[Guest]

14 minutes ago, Mp1992 said:

Madonna doesn't study the Kabbalah anymore

LOL!!!!!!!!

You are so wrong my friend. 

[adamsapple 1,788]

1 hour ago, anaglyphx said:

Kabbalah Centre believes men who have sex with men are animals. They believe homosexuality is something which the soul needs to correct. Gay men are female souls in male bodies. For a man to wear female clothes is “abomination” so I’m  confused about her position. She makes them a lot of money so they don’t wanna rock that but it would make sense why she kind of went cold on her gay audience for a long time. 

They claimed some gay followers of Kabbalah have changed themselves and are happily married with kids. 

They will always say outwardly “no judgement” but within they know what they believe. 

Source? I’ve been a student with them for 17 years. 

sorry but you talk rubbish ...

[adamsapple 1,788]

1 hour ago, anaglyphx said:

Kabbalah Centre believes men who have sex with men are animals. They believe homosexuality is something which the soul needs to correct. Gay men are female souls in male bodies. For a man to wear female clothes is “abomination” so I’m  confused about her position. She makes them a lot of money so they don’t wanna rock that but it would make sense why she kind of went cold on her gay audience for a long time. 

They claimed some gay followers of Kabbalah have changed themselves and are happily married with kids. 

They will always say outwardly “no judgement” but within they know what they believe. 

Source? I’ve been a student with them for 17 years. 

it would make sense why she kind of went cold on her gay audience for a long time>!!!

AND on what planet did this happen ? 

[adamsapple 1,788]

6 minutes ago, anaglyphx said:

LOL!!!!!!!!

You are so wrong my friend. 

why have you got to try and piss on peoples chips  ? lol ..not ..oh that was a nice speech ...but quite the opposite almost like accusing her of at one time being against the gays ...lol ..i mean seriously ?? 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, adamsapple said:

why have you got to try and piss on peoples chips  ? lol ..not ..oh that was a nice speech ...but quite the opposite almost like accusing her of at one time being against the gays ...lol ..i mean seriously ?? 

It was a beautiful speech which I loved. She also looked amazing. 

She also got the award to help in marketing Madame X as well as reminding the children what she has done. 

I was just wondering how she can reconcile two worlds. I’m sure she doesn’t embrace everything Kabbalah has to say but she does embrace most of it. Her men must be circumcised. All of her children get bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah. She doesn’t tour on Friday and Saturday be cause of Shabbat. Etc.

And you know full well she turned her back on the gays when she got married to Guy Ritchie. 

Kylie filled that void. Later Gaga. 

She hasn’t been a gay icon for quite some time and many know that is true. 

[adamsapple 1,788]

9 minutes ago, anaglyphx said:

It was a beautiful speech which I loved. She also looked amazing. 

She also got the award to help in marketing Madame X as well as reminding the children what she has done. 

I was just wondering how she can reconcile two worlds. I’m sure she doesn’t embrace everything Kabbalah has to say but she does embrace most of it. Her men must be circumcised. All of her children get bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah. She doesn’t tour on Friday and Saturday be cause of Shabbat. Etc.

And you know full well she turned her back on the gays when she got married to Guy Ritchie. 

Kylie filled that void. Later Gaga. 

She hasn’t been a gay icon for quite some time and many know that is true. 

 

i dont ever remember madonna turning her back on the gays and im sorry madonna is still a gay icon ...

[adamsapple 1,788]

11 minutes ago, anaglyphx said:

It was a beautiful speech which I loved. She also looked amazing. 

She also got the award to help in marketing Madame X as well as reminding the children what she has done. 

I was just wondering how she can reconcile two worlds. I’m sure she doesn’t embrace everything Kabbalah has to say but she does embrace most of it. Her men must be circumcised. All of her children get bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah. She doesn’t tour on Friday and Saturday be cause of Shabbat. Etc.

And you know full well she turned her back on the gays when she got married to Guy Ritchie. 

Kylie filled that void. Later Gaga. 

She hasn’t been a gay icon for quite some time and many know that is true. 

she made confessions while being married to guy ritchie and this was her gayest album ever ...

[adamsapple 1,788]

13 minutes ago, anaglyphx said:

It was a beautiful speech which I loved. She also looked amazing. 

She also got the award to help in marketing Madame X as well as reminding the children what she has done. 

I was just wondering how she can reconcile two worlds. I’m sure she doesn’t embrace everything Kabbalah has to say but she does embrace most of it. Her men must be circumcised. All of her children get bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah. She doesn’t tour on Friday and Saturday be cause of Shabbat. Etc.

And you know full well she turned her back on the gays when she got married to Guy Ritchie. 

Kylie filled that void. Later Gaga. 

She hasn’t been a gay icon for quite some time and many know that is true. 

so glaad just awarded her for promo purposes ? hmm .really ? 

[adamsapple 1,788]

shes not jewish ...

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, adamsapple said:

shes not jewish ...

Jesus Christ. This is how clueless fans are when it comes to Madonna. You don’t have to be Jewish to study Kabbalah but the rituals and holidays are rooted in Orthodox Judaism. She’s surrounded by Jews.

 

14 minutes ago, adamsapple said:

she made confessions while being married to guy ritchie and this was her gayest album ever ...

Yeah, and they were already in trouble. He barely came to see her shows and a couple years later they divorced. He likes his women to be women and his men to be men. He has a nice submissive wife now who gets a nice paycheck. 

[Guest]

17 minutes ago, adamsapple said:

so glaad just awarded her for promo purposes ? hmm .really ? 

You underestimate the power of business and marketing. They all know each other and do deals with each other. Millionaire celebs are all one big inbred alliance. 

Her new PR team are really working overtime. Soon some Drag Race bores will appear in a video. 

[adamsapple 1,788]

so be surrounded by jews makes her jewish lol ...

what makes you think guy ritchie is cut lol ..

...wtf ...............

you said madonna turned her back on the gays yet she made confessions on a dance floor ..i wouldnt call her making american life her turning her back on the gays ...

just because she didnt pump out dance songs and camp songs does not mean she turned her back on the gays 

[adamsapple 1,788]

1 minute ago, anaglyphx said:

You underestimate the power of business and marketing. They all know each other and do deals with each other. Millionaire celebs are all one big inbred alliance. 

Her new PR team are really working overtime. Soon some Drag Race bores will appear in a video. 

They gave her the award because she deserved it ! ...end of 

[adamsapple 1,788]

hmmmm...

[adamsapple 1,788]

Madonna has never and will never turn her back on the gays 

for a fan to say this is just against everything madonna is 

i mean wtf 

[adamsapple 1,788]

honestly half the time in this forum i feel like im talking to her haters ...

[Guest]

19 minutes ago, adamsapple said:

honestly half the time in this forum i feel like im talking to her haters ...

Not a hater. Just someone with my own mind and my own opinions. And going down the road less travelled by. Like a true rebel heart. 

And she’s talking about literalist religion in that video. I know full well her opinions. 

[adamsapple 1,788]

1 minute ago, anaglyphx said:

Not a hater. Just someone with my own mind and my own opinions. And going down the road less travelled by. Like a true rebel heart. 

And she’s talking about literalist religion in that video. I know full well her opinions. 

well saying madonna turned her back on the gays is absurd for any fan to say ..its what haters would say or fans of other artists who try to diminish her ...like youre trying to diminish the reason for her being presented for a award like it was set up and she does not deserve it ..so whatever 

[Guest]

37 minutes ago, adamsapple said:

so be surrounded by jews makes her jewish lol ...

what makes you think guy ritchie is cut 

 

Guy Ritchie said he got circumcised for Kabbalah. As did I. 

Listen, you clearly don’t read my messages carefully. And I’m feeling like there’s a lot of emotionally reactive ignorant dummies on this forum with very loud opinions.