She's built a career out of provocation and now, after more than 30 years in the spotlight, Madonna has shocked us once again with an impassioned speech calling out sexism and gender inequality.
The Vogue singer - who extended her record as the highest-grossing female touring artist of all time this year - has been honoured as Woman of the Year at Billboard's annual Women In Music event and took the opportunity to "speak her mind" and deliver one of the best rallying cries of the year.
More Entertainment News Videos
- Video duration
- 02:11
Madonna named Billboard's woman of the ...
Madonna named Billboard's woman of the year
Kesha, Shania Twain, and Rita Ora sing Madonnaâs praises on the red carpet before the 11th annual Billboard Women in Music honours in New York.
Up Next
Did the Simpsons predict Trump's Wall?
- Video duration
- 00:53
- Video duration
- 00:53
Did the Simpsons predict Trump's Wall?
Did the Simpsons predict Trump's Wall?
Back in 2009 the Simpsons aired an episode about building a wall to keep immigrants out of Springfield.
Up Next
Meet Mexico's Beatlemaniacos
- Video duration
- 00:56
- Video duration
- 00:56
Meet Mexico's Beatlemaniacos
Meet Mexico's Beatlemaniacos
The Beatles broke up in 1970 but the spirit of the band still thrives in Mexico City.
Up Next
Kirk Douglas reflects on Spartacus
- Video duration
- 02:03
- Video duration
- 02:03
Kirk Douglas reflects on Spartacus
Kirk Douglas reflects on Spartacus
During an interview in 2014, actor Kirk Douglas admitted that crediting a blacklisted Dalton Trumbo as a screenwriter on Spartacus was his most rebellious move.
Up Next
Trump remains producer on Apprentice
- Video duration
- 02:11
- Video duration
- 02:11
Trump remains producer on Apprentice
Trump remains producer on Apprentice
Despite concerns of there being a conflict of interest, US President-elect Donald Trump retains his executive producer credit on The Celebrity Apprentice.
Up Next
Private Sydney: Is Rove the next Rove?
- Video duration
- 02:57
- Video duration
- 02:57
Private Sydney: Is Rove the next Rove?
Private Sydney: Is Rove the next Rove?
Its been some time since Australia has had a top rating late night chat show, and now the race is on to recreate the format for a new generation. Will Rove come back? If not, who could succeed? Andrew Hornery investigates.
Up Next
Justin Timberlake surprises Sydney school
- Video duration
- 00:51
- Video duration
- 00:51
Justin Timberlake surprises Sydney school
Justin Timberlake surprises Sydney school
Music mega star Justin Timberlake dropped in on a Sydney high school to hear them perform.
Madonna named Billboard's woman of the year
Kesha, Shania Twain, and Rita Ora sing Madonnaâs praises on the red carpet before the 11th annual Billboard Women in Music honours in New York.
After opening with a classic Madonna-esque joke - "I always feel better with something hard between my legs" - and straddling the microphone stand, she sucker-punched the patriarchy while wearing a custom-made Gucci suit with the saying 'The Goddess of music who brings joy' written in Greek across her shoulders.
"I stand before you as a doormat. Oh, I mean, as a female entertainer," she said.
Related Content
"Thank you for acknowledging my ability to continue my career for 34 years in the face of blatant sexism and misogyny and constant bullying and relentless abuse."
In the speech, that at times rambled like a Rod Culleton media appearance, she canvassed her early years that were plagued with struggles prior to the release of her first single, Everybody, in 1982.
"People were dying of AIDS everywhere. It wasn't safe to be gay, it wasn't cool to be associated with the gay community," Madonna said.
"It was 1979 and New York was a very scary place. In the first year I was held at gunpoint, raped on a rooftop with a knife digging into my throat and I had my apartment broken into and robbed so many times I stopped locking the door. In the years that followed, I lost almost every friend I had to AIDS or drugs or gunshots."
She also imparted her wisdom to the Women In Music guests that included embattled pop star Kesha and up-and-coming singer Halsey: "In life there is no real safety except for self-belief," she said.
Her marriage and subsequent divorce from actor Sean Penn was when she realised the vast differences between men and women, especially those making a living by being in the public eye.
She became emotional when recalling her experiences after separating from Penn, releasing her Erotica album and her Sex book. A time when she felt like "the most hated person on the planet".
"I remember being the headline of every newspaper and magazine. Everything I read about myself was damning. I was called a whore and a witch. One headline compared me to Satan. I said, 'Wait a minute, isn't Prince running around with fishnets and high heels and lipstick with his butt hanging out?' Yes, he was. But he was a man," she said.
Thank you for acknowledging my ability to continue my career for 34 years in the face of blatant sexism and misogyny and constant bullying and relentless abuse.
Madonna thanked her predecessors including Deborah Harry and David Bowie.
About Bowie, she said: "He embodied male and female spirit and that suited me just fine. He made me think there were no rules. But I was wrong. There are no rules - if you're a boy. There are rules if you're a girl.".
Those rules, ones Madge subsequently broke, included: "If you're a girl, you have to play the game. You're allowed to be pretty and cute and sexy. But don't act too smart. Don't have an opinion that's out of line with the status quo. You are allowed to be objectified by men and dress like a slut, but don't own your sluttiness. And do not, I repeat do not, share your own sexual fantasies with the world. Be what men want you to be, but more importantly, be what women feel comfortable with you being around other men."