Madonna says she paved the way for Cardi B and Kim Kardashian thanks to her infamous S.E.X book (Picture: Instagram/Getty)
Reflecting on the 30-year anniversary of Erotica and her controversial S.E.X book, Madonna is speaking out about the criticism she faced when they were released – and says she paved the way for those who followed.
Madonna‘s 1992 album Erotica, released 30 years ago was, and still is, considered groundbreaking.
However, it was overshadowed by the True Blue singers’ then-scandalous Sex coffee table book, which was deemed ‘pornographic’ by critics at the time.
But its release paved the way for other female artists to express their sexuality in a direct and honest way – and Madonna knows it.
The Hung up hitmaker, 64, shared her thoughts about the criticism she faced at the time of their release on Instagram Stories on Saturday.
‘30 years ago I published a book called S.E.X. In addition to photos of me naked there were photos of Men kissing Men, Women kissing Women and Me kissing everyone,’ she wrote.
The singer says she was shamed for expressing her sexuality so openly (Picture: Kypros/Getty Images)
‘I also wrote about my sexual fantasies and shared my point of view about sexuality in an ironic way.’
She was, she said, shamed for openly expressing her empowerment and slandered and shunned by many because of this.
‘I spent the next few years being interviewed by narrow-minded people who tried to shame me for empowering myself as a Woman,’ she continued. ‘I was called a whore, a witch, a heretic and the devil.’
The Evita star said Kim could ‘show her naked a**’ thanks to her book (Picture: @Lucasgro / BACKGRID)
In 2022, many performers openly talk of their sexuality without the backlash Madonna faced (Picture: GETTY IMAGES)
‘Now Cardi B can sing about her WAP. Kim Kardashian can grace the cover of any magazine with her naked ass and Miley Cyrus can come in like a wrecking ball,’ the pop icon said. ‘You’re welcome b—-es.’
She then shared an interview clip from 1992 in which she was paired up with an interviewer incredibly uncomfortable with the release of the book. .
‘What did you get out of it?’ the songstress countered when asked if there was a message in the book.
The interviewer replied he was ‘afraid’ because he’d ‘never seen the likes of it.’
To which Madonna replied, ‘You’ve never read Playboy magazine, or Penthouse, or anything like that?’
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‘I think people’s reaction to specific situations in the book was much more a reflection of that person than me,’ she added.
It’s painfully clear that the Evita star was doing the hard work, and paving the way for female performers to be unapologetic in expressing their sexuality – and she deserves all the credit for it.
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The singer says she paved the way for women like Kim Kardashian and Cardi B.