Madonna slams comments mocking her appearance at the Grammys: World 'refuses to celebrate women past the age of 45'

Madonna is speaking out against "ageism and misogyny" in response to comments mocking her appearance at the Grammy Awards.

The "Material Girl" singer responded on Instagram after a flood of derogatory comments about how she looked when she introduced a performance at Sunday's Grammys. "Fans 'so confused' by Madonna's 'new face' at Grammys 2023," a headline from Page Six read, as viral tweets suggested she "has a whole new face" and looks like a "2,700-year-old vampire."

On Instagram, Madonna slammed those who "chose to only talk about close-up photos of me taken with a long lens camera by a press photographer that would distort anyone's face" instead of her actual speech.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

"Once again I am caught in the glare of ageism and misogyny that permeates the world we live in," she wrote. "A world that refuses to celebrate women past the age of 45 and feels the need to punish her if she continues to be strong willed, hard-working and adventurous."

Madonna continued that she has "never apologized" for the "way that I look or dress and I'm not going to start" before quoting Beyoncé by telling detractors, "You won't break my soul."

At the Grammys, Madonna gave thanks "to all the rebels out there forging a new path and taking the heat for all of it" as she introduced a performance by Sam Smith and Kim Petras, the latter of whom became the first trans woman to win the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Grammy. Madonna said on Instagram she originally wanted to present Album of the Year but "thought it was more important that I present the first trans woman performing at the Grammys — a history making moment!"