Pop icon Madonna has set off a tidal wave of backlash following remarks that she, not Lil Nas X, performed the first gay kiss on a major awards show.
Lil Nas X, 22, made history last weekend when he kissed another guy during his recent performance on the BET Awards. It was the first male-male smooch in the history of performances at the particular show. (Adam Lambert, some have noted, did a similar thing during the 2009 AMAs, though the response he received was much less positive.)
ADAM LAMBERT WALKED SO LIL NAS X COULD RUN
2009 2021 pic.twitter.com/SoPL7QSdjQ
— er!n ? (@erinspire) June 29, 2021
Never one to pass up a chance at publicity, Madonna took to Instagram to share an image of herself kissing Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera at the 2003 MTV VMAs along with the hashtag #diditfirst.
Back in 2003, the kiss did cause controversy and backlash, not so much for breaking new ground as for a transparent publicity stunt.
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Following the post, Twitter exploded in anger…
The woman who quite literally stole/whitewashed an big element of Black queer culture, made a ton of money off of it with Vogue and has been heavily criticized for it, is flexing on a 22 year emerging Black queer artist to be recognized for a same sex kiss when she is STRAIGHT?! pic.twitter.com/SBnTq35Mm5
— maybe: Phillip (@MajorPhilebrity) June 30, 2021
“The woman who quite literally stole/whitewashed an big element of Black queer culture, made a ton of money off of it with Vogue and has been heavily criticized for it, is flexing on a 22 year emerging Black queer artist to be recognized for a same sex kiss when she is STRAIGHT?!” wondered user @MajorPhilebrity.
Madonna is so petty & tone deaf. I see straight white chicks kissing at bars all the damn time. Seeing a gay black man kiss another man in front of a majority black audience hits different. #BETAwards #diditfirst
— Sweet&Sour (@sammyd25_davis) June 30, 2021
“Madonna is so petty & tone deaf. I see straight white chicks kissing at bars all the damn time. Seeing a gay black man kiss another man in front of a majority black audience hits different,” raged @sammyd25_davis.
#diditfirst says fucking Madonna, lol. Yeah, she may have done it first BUT the huge difference is that their actually gay, people of color and the kiss was REAL!!! pic.twitter.com/bt7Of0MyQe
— JOE (@Joseph7Mora8) June 30, 2021
“Says f*cking Madonna, lol. Yeah, she may have done it first BUT the huge difference is that their actually gay, people of color and the kiss was REAL!!!” observed @Joseph7Mora8.
If there was ever someone who didn’t need to point out that she #diditfirst……….. pic.twitter.com/zlXYHfRYWa
— Louie (@DJLouieXIV) June 30, 2021
Ironically, amid all the bellyaching, Madonna has found an unlikely defender: Lil Nas X himself. The two have been friends since her ill-fated Madame X tour, where they bonded over a beer. At the time, she even posted about it to her Instagram.
I thought we been knew y’all were friends pic.twitter.com/YSTwpN7sCz
— ?LilNasXfp? (@NasxFp_2) June 30, 2021
“Me and madonna are friends. it’s just a joke,” Lil Nas X tweeted. When that didn’t seem to quell the haters–who then turned on Mr. X–he sent out a second tweet. “I thought we been knew y’all were friends,” he added.
For the record, by any standard Lil Nas X’s big kiss did break new ground. And as for Madonna, we do feel a need to point out that she has always been a gay icon and ally to the LGBTQ community, calling out homophobia in her concert documentary Truth or Dare, employing LGBTQ dancers, and pushing for marriage equality among many other public stands. She also has hinted at being bisexual herself, and was rumored to have had a lesbian relationship with actress Sandra Bernhard, though Bernhard later said those reports were not accurate.
lykeitiz
So tired of the re-writing of history in order to bash M. As someone who lived during the time and saw the Madonna/Britney/Xtina kiss on live TV, it was most definitely NOT a controversy b/c it was a “publicity stunt”. It WAS a controversy because it was woman on woman, but particularly the 3 biggest women at the time.
Secondly, to say Madonna “stole” vogue is also ridiculous. She did the opposite. She shone a spotlight on it that it never would have had. At the time, there was NOT ONE radio or TV station that would have given 5 seconds of air time to trans people of color. Like it or not, that is FACT.
Thirdly, and finally, Lil Nas X himself considers her a friend and called it a “joke”, so that should end all the little-monster fabricated hate.
ShiningSex
Hos is two straight women controversy? It was not a big deal. I remember it and laughed. If it were two lesbians, then it would be progressive. Two awful str8 singers meant nothing to our community.
wiggie
oh hunny, so much to unpack. I watched that same kiss and it was talked about as “controversial” because it was obviously a publicity stunt.
Second, she did steal voguing. It was already very popular among gays and trans people of color long before she came along. In case you forgot, 1990 ( when the song came out) was not exactly a good time for the LGBTQ community.
Thirdly, the fact that two openly gay young men of color in the hip-hop community did this LIVE on THE major African-American awards show is a huge deal.
Bonuscheque
I don’t get it I think she’s so good and so much fun
Fahd
To me, the Lil Nas X kiss felt different, I confess. Newsflash: Madonna can be petty and full of herself, and age isn’t helping.
scottjamesmiller
Is she still alive? I thought she died. Or was that her career?
ShiningSex
Straight women kissing is not progressive. Madonna is an old has been hag. She needs to retired because she TIRED.
If it were gay women doing it, I’d have more respect for them, but two awful str8 singers doing that is a joke.
Gabby
Go away. Don’t rewrite history, at the time the Madonna, Britney, Christina kiss was big entertainment news. We lived in a different time where 2 girls making out on t.v. was still slightly controversial and you know it.
Gabby
When I heard about this one of my first reactions was how Queerty would post this story and a bunch of bitter queens would leave nasty comments about a woman who has fought and shed light on gay rights since the beginning of her career. Madonna fought and supported gay rights before it was cool or trendy. The real issue here is how the entire world now spends all it’s time being offended. She was being campy and funny, both artists are friends. Lil Nas X even reminded people of that.
Gabby
Gasp! Madonna has gotten older. Let’s all bash her and pretend that she hasn’t been there for the gay community since day 1 #bitterqueens
BoomerMyles
We get it. You’re a old die hard Madonna apologist. Not many though are defending her in this comment section. You’re pretty much alone here.
The truth is she’s petty and ungracious and all that is coming back to haunt her.
She’s been outright rude and nasty to gay and straight celebrities as well as her own employees.
She’s worse than Ellen and people aren’t standing for her crap anymore.
Bonuscheque
Hahah I agree people just like to talk shi*t she’s so good
JeffreyEffreyEffrey
The gospel according to Madge: I take credit for everything ! How Trumpian of her.
Kangol2
Once again, Lil Nas X responds like an adult, with grace and humor. Madonna’s same sex kiss on that awards show was a big deal; Adam Lambert’s kiss also was a big deal; and both laid the foundation for Lil Nas X’s kiss, which is a big deal. It’s OK for Madonna to note her role in this history and the same for Adam Lambert, and it’s also great for Lil Nas X to acknowledge how he’s sent people into outer orbit for being brave, i.e., being unapologetically himself. All deserve praise.
Openminded
I have to agree with you Kanglo. If Nas says they are friend and it was a joke, then who has the right to say otherwise. I’m not a huge Madonna fan, but all these people here talking trash about her being old and needs to move on makes me want to stick around and see them get old and see how they feel then.
Inspector 57
Thank you, Kangol2.
man5996853
I mostly agree. They were all big deals if you consider the times in which they occurred. They were impactful.
I don’t, however, agree that Madonna needs to crap on his moment because she needs her ego stroked. If you make an impact, you shouldn’t have to remind people that you made it or take away from someone else’s impactful moment.
amanwithanedge
a lot of people are trying to rewrite history these days. Stonewall, Act up, and even where American food comes from. Ridiculous.
tjack47
Like I wrote elsewhere, I loathe hateful, spiteful, envious bitchy queens.
DennisMpls
@Gabby totally nailed it: “The real issue here is how the entire world now spends all it’s time being offended.” This shouldn’t be a story, it shouldn’t be a trending Twitter topic, and it shouldn’t be Queerty clickbait. THERE IS NOTHING HERE!
I watched the Madonna kisses, and there is no doubt it was a big deal at the time because it was same-sex kissing, and did indeed break new ground. Adam Lambert moved the ball farther down the field, and now Lil Nas X has moved it even farther. Kudos to all three, and it’s absurd that we want to parse every detail and create controversy about a tiny little thing.
Madonna’s tweet was exactly the sort of thing I’d expect from someone like her in our social media world. It would have been funny if Adam Lambert had gotten into the game with a tweet of his own.
Lastly, I’m appalled that people are resorting to the tired “she’s old” or “she’s a has-been” as a substitute for actual thought. When homophobia is largely a thing of the past we’ll still be afflicted by rampant ageism.
Openminded
Agree totally. Apparently a lot of the people here don’t think they will age. Can’t wait to see them hit 50 or 60 and realize they don’t feel as old as all the new youngsters think they are. It’s sad how today’s youth refuse to give today’s mature adults any credit for paving even the slightest of paths. Oh well, The circle of life.
BoomerMyles
Not only did M steal Vogue she whitewashed it and made multiple millions which none made back to its originators.
Now she’s trying to steal the spotlight off a brave Black gay performer.
She’s not much of an ally considering her very public dissing of queer icons like Lady Gaga, Sir Ian McKellan and Sir Elton John.
She is just an attention whore desperately seeking relevance.
Who else would expose her 62 year old sagging tits at a recent music performance?
Jim
It’s so sad that this has been is so desperate for attention!
Bonuscheque
I just saw a show she did on You Tube from a cple years back and this bitch is still so good
skyboy63
I have zero f**ks to give about Madonna. She needs to take aging lessons from Cher.
Openminded
I absolutely LOVE Cher, but if not for all her plastic surgery, she wouldn’t be aging very well at all.
Troyfight
…Madonna’s response…. At most it’s a little ornery fun. Relax people.
garybw
Madonna who…saw
garybw
Who
Mr. Stadnick
Madonna is as old as dirt so she did everything first. She invented fire, the wheel, electricity, hormone replacement patches, the word cuisine, wiglets…
Let the woman think she is still relevant her meds will kick in and she’ll sashay off into the distance.
Toofie
Once again Queerty goes after Madonna.
sam83
Once again queerty only writes about Madonna in a shady way or some ageist bs. I’m an older millennial and I am so sick of the Madonna hate that is undeserved. She was making a joke and not everyone gets her sense of humor….Even after Lil Nas confirmed it’s a joke the cancel culture police are still going hard. It drives me nuts how many millennials will defend Britney and Beyoncé who haven’t done shit for the gay community and Gen Z will worship Taylor and Ariana who’ve done the min on the path Madonna has laid out for them. I love Gaga too but she even had beef with Madonna bc she didn’t give credit when credit was due. Meanwhile Madonna has been taking a beating and representing true liberation for women, queer artists and the LGBT community in general since the very beginning of her career. She truly has done it all and is prob frustrated Gen Z doesn’t give her credit for pushing the culture forward bc they only look at artists of the moment and never back. Contrary to what many of you bitter queens claim Madonna has always been forthcoming when she’s paid homage to icons of the past and credited them for it be it Dietrich and Monroe, Bowie or the art of Frida Kahlo and Lempika. She is “punished” for longevity, aging and continuing to pave the way for female artists. Never forgot when Elton, George and Freddie were deep in the closet Madonna was raising $ for AIDS and presenting queerness in her videos and on stage. And to those saying she’s a culture vulture with Vogue quit getting your history from Pose. Once again she brought a sub culture mainstream and elevated queerness in the pop culture zeitgeist. Without her very few people would have learned about Voguing. Think of how many gay boys were exposed to gay culture through that song/video and the ballroom queens she made famous! STFU and be grateful we still have her.
ScottOnEarth
Right on! I love every. word. you. wrote.
butchqueen
AMEN!!!
Gabby
XOXO LOVE YOU
lykeitiz
I made a few of these points in a previous post, but not as eloquently. It really is disturbing the lengths Gen Z will go to to rewrite history. It has nothing to do with musical taste or whether or not you like M’s public persona. They actually lie about her accomplishments. No generation before has done that. Thank you for this well thought out (and factually accurate) post.
ScottOnEarth
How quickly the shallow, soulless gay community forgets our biggest mainstream, straight ally. Madonna has always been good to us, without fail, far before it was even remotely trendy to be a gay ally. The same-sex, man-to-man, kiss she featured in “Truth of Dare” was a big deal at the time but it was a first in a mainstream movie. Her #diditfirst post was clearly tongue-in-cheek. The woke crowd who contsantly cries, “don’t label me!” sure love throwing labels at others to prove their own pettiness.
Leash
it
was
a
joke
ohmagahd
Cam
Yes the Madonna kiss got attention, however the reason it wasn’t the big deal this one is, is because all of the women involved where very very well known to be straight.
If Madonna had brought a girlfriend up on stage and kissed her, it would have been an even bigger deal, but Britany was famous for her marriages, Madonna had one boyfriend after another, no women, etc.
But it looks like Lil Nas and her are in on the joke of the tweet.
lykeitiz
Sorry, but that’s not accurate. At the time, Madonna was rumored to have been with Sandra Bernhard and Isabella Rossallini, among others. You can argue how true the rumors were, but they were there. Madonna did not have a 100% hetero image. For proof, see her “Sex” book.
DarkZephyr
Madonna was messing around, teasing him, according to Lil Nas X. Since that’s the case, I think its time to stop with the dumb ass twitter mob. I am so sick of this bullshit. Young little gays who know almost nothing about LGBT history in the USA and the older gays who want to be their daddy-pets that should know better but pretend not to. Lil Nas X is asking his fans to STOP coming for her. She was playing with him!