The pop star confirmed her plans in sensational fashion on Instagram on Thursday (12Jan17) writing, “Yasssssssss! Just Do it… 1 Million Women’s March!! Be There!!” under a provocative image of a woman revealing her public hair shaved in the shape of the Nike sports icon. She also tagged Los Angeles magazine Nakid. The shot, taken by photographer Marius Sperlich, will appear in the publication’s next issue. It’s not clear if the model is Madonna. The Women’s March on Washington coincides with Donald Trump’s first day as U.S. President. Katy Perry, Cher and Zendaya will also be participating.
A sister march, led by Chelsea Handler and moviemaker Ava DuVernay, will take place at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah on the same day. Madonna stirred up women’s rights activists when she blasted music industry bigwigs for oppressing women and restricting their freedom during a blistering speechas she accepted the Woman of the Year award at Billboard’s annual Women in Music event last month (09Dec16). “I stand before you as a doormat,” Madonna said. “Oh, I mean, as a female entertainer. Thank you for acknowledging my ability to continue my career for 34 years in the face of blatant sexism and misogyny and constant abuse.”
“One headline compared me to Satan,” she recalled on stage. “I thought, ‘Wait a minute, isn’t Prince running around with fishnets and high heels and lipstick with his butt hanging out?’ Yes, he was. This was when I understood women do not have the same freedom as men.” Towards the end of her speech, the Material Girl hitmaker thanked her critics and offered advice to young women trying to forge a career in the music industry. “I’m not here so much because I care about awards,” Madonna confessed. “I’m here because I want to say thank you. To all the doubters and naysayers and everyone who gave me hell and said I could not or would not or must not, your resistance made me stronger, made me push harder, made me the fighter that I am. It made me the woman that I am today.”