Why is Madonna Always Sexualizing Younger Pop Stars?

Madonna has been pushing the sexual envelope for more than 30 years. That’s a lot of envelopes, a lot of sexuality and a lot of Madonna. And she doesn’t seem to plan on stopping anytime soon (which is, by the way, totally great and fine). Madonna and Katy Perry recently teamed up for a photo shoot for V Magazine, which hits stands on Memorial Day. The photos ooze dominatrix-style sexuality, but in a pop star mother-figure kind of way.

In the accompanying interview with V Magazine, Madonna says she’s an artist and has to express herself, even if that involves simulating masturbation on stage, like she did during her 1990 Blond Ambition Tour. Madonna has never been one to not express herself, especially when it comes to sexuality, and Madonna and Katy certainly are expressing themselves in these new photos—but what exactly are they expressing?

Based on their S&M-themed poses, Katy is pretending to dominate a woman who can’t actually be dominated—maybe that’s the point?

This isn’t the first time Madonna has played the role of mama bear fetishist with a younger, less experienced pop star, and it’s certainly not the first time she has given us something to talk about.

Remember when this happened?

Of course you do. Madonna, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera performed at the MTV VMAs, and it was the performance everyone couldn’t stop talking about (and still can’t stop talking about, clearly). Madonna was the ring leader and had her way with the two young pop stars, who were already divas in their own right, and who were dressed as Madonna from her 1984 “Like a Virgin” video. They were paying homage to her, but she was right there in the power position, also paying homage . . . to herself. It’s like they were paying their dues, and as if she was passing down her motherly pop star baton, except not motherly at all because she was also making out with one of them and groping herself and them.

And earlier this year, the same thing happened when Madonna and Miley Cyrus performed together for MTV Unplugged. Except less kissing and more pelvic thrusting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MUGJM6mASc

Perhaps, Madonna is merely expressing herself and asserting her dominance, by taking younger, risk-taking pop stars under her wing. And perhaps we aren’t meant to understand the purpose in everything she does. Maybe that’s always been the point. Leaving us, her audience, to come up with our own decisions and conclusions. Motherly mentoring while being sexually dominant is just a part of her artistic journey, and we’re all along for the ride.

Featured video and images via Youtube, Jasontellitlikeitis, NY Daily News,