The Ryan Thomas Collection

Talk continues about March’s edition of W Magazine featuring a 48 page photo spread titled, “Blame it on Rio.” The photo spread depicts a scantily clad Madonna with her twenty year old male Brazillian friend, Jesus, posing as her young lover. Critics from all sides have been going after this since the publicity photos were released. Gossip blogs and the press alike have been reporting on whether Madonna and Jesus are “dating” or simply having a love affair. We know one thing, the two were working together.

The initial shots from the photo spread look like a refined and updated version of Madonna’s brush with sexual exploration in Justify My Love and even bits of her Erotica album, ala “Bad Girl.” The shoot utilizes black and white photography to enhance the contrast between the porcelain skin of Madonna and the olive tones of her Rio lover. The contrast helps further separate these two “characters” by their age and what seems to be economic and social status. Photo spreads in W Magazine tend to be fairly artful in their production and representation. A story is being told and this can be seen simply by the title of the shoot. What is the story? What is being told of these two characters? These are the questions that should be asked. Rather, the question the photo spread and the gossip around Madonna’s supposed love affair with the twenty year old continues to be, “Why is Madonna going after a man more than half her age?” If a question must be asked along these lines, then why not ask, “Why are we still talking about an older women going after a young man?”

Women are still fighting the stigma that their sexuality ends at the age of fifty. Women are continuing to battle the double standard that their age must be in line with that of their latest boytoy, whereas their male counterparts can stroll about with girls half their age and the acceptance comes with little struggle. In the 80s, the media had a field day with Cher’s relationship with the infamous “Bagel Boy” who was noticeably younger than her. It seemed like ages for the American media to get over the Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore age difference. Why are we still talking about this? The idea of the “cougar” is being raised more and more, evening finding its way onto a regular skit on Saturday Night Live. Yes, these “cougars” are the products of the Women’s Liberation movement and therefore, we can understand how they continue to live their sexual lives more openly than older generations, but is this really unusual for society to witness now. Why is this funny? After 35 years of women’s liberation, this apparently is the next frontier, culturally. Enough is enough.

Is this funny to you?

(W Magazine cover photo credit, Steven Klein)

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Watching Cher and Tina Tuner being interviewed on Oprah had me thinking. Seeing these two women on a stage in Vegas is more than just a Thursday afternoon at 4pm. These are two women who stood against what was of expected of women in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and even what is expected of women now.

These are women… no…these are people who stood up for something and not for attention, but for themselves. These women did not and do not do what they do for attention like today’s Paris, Nicole or Lindsay Lohan types do. They have worked and pushed forward for more than paparazzi pictures.

Cher and Tina have both pushed against patriarchal power and influence in a time when some may have thought it unpopular. They both understood that personal liberty and the power of the individual was worth more than anything a man could provide. Standing up against the norm in a time when it was unacceptable is not only commendable, it is admirable. It seems that far too often women like this are pushed aside now. Strong and independent women are put in the shadows by “porno, paparazzi girls” and this is will be the downfall of modern American society.

Cher and Tina Turner are what some may say the “retirement” periods of life and yet they push on. They are performing their art and entertaining those who want to listen. So often do we see we male politicians, performers and men of business doing the same and being acclaimed for it. Let us not forget that women can and are doing the same. Women like Cher and Tina Turner may not be the the businessmen of today or yesterday, and they may not be the politicians of today or yesterday, but they are people of our time. We must recognize what they have done for girls, women, and people in their lifetime. In our lifetime.

Some may read this as a typical gay man preaching the glory of a diva or two, but one must realize that it is more than this. Women fighting for an equal opportunity on their own is still a rather new concept in society and it is a continual fight. These women are examples of what all of us, men and women alike, can aspire to; a fight for self determination and individual success. We may never achieve the depth of success they have, but we can aspire to do something close. If we are questioning success or survival from a difficult choice we must make. These are women…no…these are people that we can look to and understand that good things can and will come from making a tough choice.

Whether you are a young girl wanting to conquer the world without being a tragic paparazzi girl, a young gay boy in a small town sitting in a closet waiting to break free, or a straight guy who does not want to be quarterback of the high school football team; these women show you that being a puppet of social norms does not equate happiness or success.

Take a small step for your individual freedom and independence. Next, take a larger step towards your personal liberty. You may never, I may never, and the person next to you may never be the next Cher, Tina Tuner or even Oprah, but we may all be one step closer to personal and individual liberty, and only then can we achieve the energy to push on when we are of “retirement” age, or even tomorrow.

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