| A lot of people are afraid to say what | | | | to Manhattan to pursue a career as a |
| they want. That's why they don't get | | | | professional dancer. Upon her arrival, |
| what they want. - Madonna | | | | some of the first people she befriended |
| Poor is the man whose pleasures depend | | | | were drag queens and gay rentboys. |
| on the permission of another. Madonna | | | | After the launch of her music career and |
| Madonna isn't happy with the "boring" | | | | her entry into public consciousness, |
| movie roles she's lately been offered. | | | | Madonna began to solidify her reputation |
| Casting, she complains, sees her as the | | | | as a gay icon. In the 1980s, Madonna was |
| mother of a "truculent teenage | | | | one of the first major celebrities to |
| daughter." "Mom" (real life mother of | | | | lend her support to AIDS causes. Many of |
| two) sees herself as the truculent one. | | | | her friends and inspirations, such as |
| She's that and more - this always | | | | her ballet teacher Christopher Flynn, |
| cutting-edge artist is "frighteningly" | | | | artist Keith Haring, and photographer |
| good at being anything she wants to be. | | | | Herb Ritts - as well as her brother |
| Madonna Louise Ciccone Ritchie (born | | | | Christopher - are gay males, and some of |
| August 16, 1958), better known as | | | | them have died of AIDS. The song "In |
| Madonna, is an American pop | | | | This Life" from her fith studio album, |
| singer-songwriter, dancer, record, film | | | | Erotica, is about the loss of Madonna's |
| producer, actress and a fashion icon. | | | | (gay) friends to AIDS, containing the |
| She is a multiple Grammy and Golden | | | | line, "Have you ever watched your best |
| Globe-award winner, known for her | | | | friend die?" |
| ambitious music videos, stage | | | | One of Madonna's biggest hits, 1990's |
| performances and use of political, | | | | "Vogue", is a song in tribute to the |
| sexual, and religious themes in her | | | | underground dance form known as vogueing |
| work. Madonna is sometimes referred to | | | | which first found popularity in gay bars |
| as "the Material Girl" or "Queen of Pop" | | | | and discos of New York City. "Deeper and |
| in the media. | | | | Deeper," a 1992 hit about a young man's |
| Since her debut in 1982, Madonna has | | | | coming out, featured a small reprise of |
| released many chart-topping albums and | | | | "Vogue". |
| singles, and has sold more than 200 | | | | In 2003 Madonna kissed Britney Spears |
| million albums worldwide. Billboard | | | | and Christina Aguilera onstage at the |
| reported that her 2006 Confessions Tour | | | | MTV Video Music Awards. According to Out |
| holds the record for the top-grossing | | | | Madonna shrugs off the attention the act |
| concert tour by a female artist. | | | | garnered and her daughter Lourdes' |
| According to both the 2007 Guinness Book | | | | reaction to it (Lourdes told her mother |
| of Records, and Billboard, she is the | | | | people call the pop star gay and the |
| top earning female singer. Madonna is | | | | girl has gained more consciousness of |
| the richest female singer in the world, | | | | the gay community). "I kind of assume |
| and one of the richest self-made women | | | | everything I do is going to appeal to |
| in the world, with an estimated net | | | | the gay audience. I'm just a big |
| worth of over $850 million. On September | | | | queen... it just means I kissed Britney |
| 27, 2007, she was nominated for | | | | Spears. I am the mommy pop star and she |
| induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of | | | | is the baby pop star. And I am kissing |
| Fame. In 2001, the Guinness Book of | | | | her and passing my energy onto her. |
| World Records listed Madonna as the | | | | Like, kind of a mythological fairy |
| "Worlds Most-successful Female | | | | tale", Madonna stated of the incident. |
| Musician". | | | | Madonna has been named by The Advocate |
| Madonna was introduced to the gay | | | | as the biggest gay icon of all time over |
| community while still a teenager. It was | | | | such icons as Judy Garland and Cher. To |
| her ballet teacher, Christopher Flynn, a | | | | this day, Madonna's gay following is one |
| gay man, who first told Madonna that she | | | | of the most loyal segments of her |
| was beautiful. He also introduced her to | | | | audience. While her popularity among |
| the local gay community of Detroit, | | | | certain other communities (like the |
| Michigan, often taking her to local gay | | | | African American and Hispanic |
| bars. It is Flynn who encouraged Madonna | | | | communities, for example) has fluctuated |
| to walk away from her full scholarship | | | | over the years, her gay following seems |
| to the University of Michigan and move | | | | to stay strongly intact. |