Madonna Faces Backlash For Bedroom Photos, Compared To Nancy Reagan

Madonna Rock star Madonna sings as she opened her first national tour at night on in Seattle. She is known for her million-seller records and movie "Desperately Seeking Susan
Madonna Pop Rock Singer, Seattle, USA — Image Credit: Shutterstock

Madonna, 63, garnered a lot of attention after she posted a racy bedroom photo shoot to her Instagram on Nov. 25, with fans showing their support and haters dropping their critiques. One of those critiques is now coming from conservative YouTuber Abby Shapiro, who’s the sister of other notable right-wing commentator, Ben Shapiro.

“This is Madonna at 63. This is Nancy Reagan at 64,” Abby began in her tweet, showing the boudoir pic of the pop icon next to a photo of Nancy with her husband, the late president Ronald Reagan, and other family members. “Trashy living vs. Classic living. Which version of yourself do you want to be?”

This is Madonna at 63. This is Nancy Reagan at 64.

Trashy living vs. Classic living.

Which version of yourself do you want to be? pic.twitter.com/Gj5M0Gqr5w

— Classically Abby (@classicallyabby) December 9, 2021

Numerous social media users flocked to the comment section with their takes, with many showing their support of the “Material World” singer and her radical sexual acceptance as a woman in her mid-60s. “Way to drag a woman who’s still expressing herself anyway she sees fit and doesn’t care about your opinion,” one user commented. “I guess that bothers lots of insecure people. So you are just going to fade when you hit 40, right?” Meanwhile, other posters, who seemed to agree with Abby, wrote in their take on Madonna’s “photoshopped” pic, saying, “Mrs. Reagan and it’s not even a contest.”

Other users, however, went beyond the simple aesthetics of the two photos and took Abby to task for more deeply political matters, prompting questions about causes Madonna and Nancy stood behind in their time and arguing against the Reagans’ policy positions both economically and culturally.

“Madonna risked her career to spread awareness about the AIDS epidemic while the woman on the right and her husband refused to even say the word and let a whole generation of queer men die,” one person passionately stated. “Don’t ask me stupid f–king questions.”

Abby and her brother are quite popular commentators on the right, with Abby’s “Classically Abby” channel — featuring videos that detail how women should dress “modestly” and be pro-life — gathering numerous followers. The conversation about Madonna — as an older woman who posts sexual photos of herself and wears revealing clothing — has definitely struck a nerve with those on social media and in the zeitgeist in general.

As we continue to unpack our prescriptions for how women should act, look, and behave, and how those value judgments have emotional and psychological consequences for the women who inherit them, the hollow conversation between “classy vs. trashy” continues.