One of the prominent controversial artworks of the 20th century related to sexual revolution and women empowerment is a song called Like a Virgin performed by Madonna in 1984. The name of the song alone led to the establishment of versatile conversations and arguments in the conservative American society of the 1980s. Overall, the music piece was deemed debatable at the time, and the live performance on MTV only fueled the heated discussions. Madonna wore the wedding dress on a stage, which consisted of an extravagant corset and a belt that declared “Boy Toy” on the buckle (The New York Times, 2018). Therefore Like a Virgin has sparked controversy within the mediums of both the music industry and television.
In a traditional, conservative environment, a woman’s central purpose is to find a loving husband and start a happy family. In Like a Virgin, the singer concentrates on a moment of attraction and parallels it with the concept of virginity (Madonna, 1984). Notably, demonstrating a connection between finding love and being a virgin is a crucial constituent in the context of second-wave feminism, which was emerging at that time (Piechota, 2018). The vocalist openly points out her sexual desires, which are considered sacred and forbidden in a conventional society. Apart from song lines, her behavior and appearance on a stage were viewed as provocative, leading to females’ sex empowerment. Interestingly, her provocative movements on the stage were accidental; thus, partly, her controversial appearance was not initially planned to be inciting. In her interview with MTV, Madonna revealed that she had a minor accident with her footwear; therefore, she “reached for the shoe, the dress went up. And the underpants were showing” (Garibaldi, 2014). Madonna utilizes the song and MTV performance to break various stereotypes and stigmas, making a significant social contribution; though, some of it was unplanned.
The work’s aesthetic aspects, including the revealing clothing and the provocative belt buckle, are creative ways of redefining passion expressions. A journalist and critic Jacob Bernstein claimed that in a Like a Virgin, Madonna “turned wedding dresses into bold statements of female sexuality” (The New York Times, 2018). Second-wave feminists, including Madonna as a contributor, added to the conversation on topics that were considered taboos, such as abortion and female sexuality (Piechota, 2018). The general discussion was concentrated on female attractiveness and the associated behavioral expectations and norms. Famous social activists and controversial figures allowed women to be heard, as the traditional social standards and human conditions were somewhat restrictive and limiting. The work does not directly relate to my life, as the 21st century has been a relatively open era for women to represent themselves and their sexual preferences. However, I understand that the second-wave feminists contributed to contemporary women not undergoing any difficulties in self-expression.
While neither the song Like a Virgin nor its live performance was censored at the time, both generated discussion in the United States about explicit content in entertainment. Governments should only seek to censor art in very specific circumstances and approach any censorship on a case-by-case basis. Only in situations where non-consenting people are put in danger, should the government step in and seek censorship. In general, government censorship is rarely justified and should be avoided. The justifications often used include reference to the public good, yet this is an ill-defined term, and the relationship between an element of art and the public good is unclear. Furthermore, art is largely subjective, and creating a governmental body with the power to determine what art is useful or beneficial seems both dangerous and ineffective. Madonna’s Like a Virgin and its live performance are relatively benign as creative works that were not censored, nor should they have been.
The live performances of Like a Virgin contained purposefully contrasting ideas and imagery of second-wave feminism and Catholicism. Madonna exemplifies the cultural shift of the 80s in the United States as a female performer, surpassing her male counterparts in fame and popularity. On stage, Madonna exhibited female sexuality through her wardrobe choice and actions. This, combined with her sexually empowering music, is a clear example of second-wave feminism (Piechota, 2018). The performance’s visuals include references to more traditional, catholic motifs, including a wedding cake and a dress with a veil. This created a contrast with her provocative actions on stage, including humping and rolling around on the ground. The performance uses catholic vocabulary in the show, including the artist’s stage name Madonna in reference to the Virgin Mary.
The combination of human expression and the emotional responses evoked by the performance indicators that Madonna’s Like a Virgin is art. Madonna successfully deconstructs her environment through provocative lyrics that are simultaneously self-empowering, imbuing the performance with an element of postmodernism (Canavan & Mccamley, 2020). Furthermore, there are artistic elements present to strengthen Like a Virgin’s status as art. The MTV performance combines music with visuals and dance, which are all creative fields combining original expression with technical skill. The controversy generated by her actions on stage indicates an emotional resonance with the public, sparking debate and discussion about sexuality in entertainment (Piechota, 2018). A performance capable of generating discussion and controversy, coupled with the song’s artistic elements and actions, indicates that Like a Virgin must be considered art.
References
Canavan, B., & Mccamley, C. (2020). The passing of the postmodern in pop? Epochal consumption and marketing from Madonna, through Gaga, to Taylor. Journal of Business Research, 107, 222–230.
Garibaldi, C. (2014). Here’s the wardrobe malfunction that made Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” VMA performance legendary. MTV.
Madonna. (1984). Like a virgin [Song]. On Like a virgin [Album]. Sire.
Piechota, D. (2018). Emancipation according to Madonna. In A. Jabłońska & M. Koryciński (Eds.), 80s again: A monograph on the 1980s (pp. 71-91). Jolanta Słobodzian Film Club.
The New York Times. (2018). 60 times Madonna changed our culture. The New York Times. Web.
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