Gay London Life | Dec '23 & Jan '24 Issues - Magazine - Page 91
Topher
Talks
We need
to give
Madonna
her flowers
entire life, literally, as there were new
she places her Keith Haring-lined
songs out from the day I was born
overcoat over them.
(and prior) to now. There are songs
As someone who is clued up on
that take my back to my little box
the context and history of this period
room in Eltham, songs that take my
of history, I immediately knew she
back to our little flat in Sydenham –
was referencing the horrific HIV and
and songs that I relate to losing my
AIDs epidemic which swept over
virginity and falling in love, that remind
NYC nightlife, the queer community,
me of my heartbreak(s) and career
and sex workers like a wildfire. An
highlights. She was possibly the most
epidemic she lost many loves ones to.
famous human in the world, outside of
religious figures and politicians.
But most importantly and
The arena drops to darkness,
and then a thunder storm begins to
rumble and flash, until eventually “Live
profoundly she was the first person
to Tell” booms out of the enormous
It probably comes as no surprise to
I EVER heard speak about queer
Soundsystem and Madonna rises in a
anyone who knows me, or knows of
people in a positive light. And not
box which floats metres up into the air.
me, that I am a big Madonna fan.
just in a positive-popstar-PR-move-
The goosebumps were unreal. As she
During my childhood, her and
light, in a respectful and admirable
does, enormous projection screens
David Bowie were like religious icons
way. She demanded respect and
fall which begin to project beautiful
to me. Her music videos were events
acknowledgment of us from the
photos of the souls lost to HIV & AIDS,
and her ‘reinventions’ impacted retail
media and made us seem ‘cool.’ As
from her good friends and artists like
sales, catwalks, and music industry
someone who always knew I was
Keith Haring and Martin Burgoyne
trends. The same reinventions would
(very) homosexual; this really meant
– to icons such as Sylvester and
also impact the clothes I would beg
the world to me. Her message
Freddy Mercury – and eventually to
Mum to buy me from market stalls
of not allowing yourself to be a
an overwhelmingly large collage of
and car boot sales – “Madonna wore
victim and to get-up-and-keep-
beautiful peoples faces who were
something like that!” I would shout,
going resonated with my soul and
lost to this devastating virus. An
pointing at a bullet bra, to my mother’s
impacted my strength in a way I
overwhelmingly queer majority, as
horror. She was soundtrack to my
would not even be able to measure. I
we all unfortunately know. As the
still carry it with me now. I know a lot
song ends, the screen reads “In
of queer people feel the same.
loving memory of all the bright lights
Currently on her worldwide
we lost to AIDS.” Later in the show,
“The Celebration Tour,” Madonna is
Madonna adorned a Progress Flag
taking her message LGBT-allyship
over her shoulders as she sings
worldwide. I went to the show on
“Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” – and
its 3rd night in London, on October
eventually breaks into cries of
17th, and had avoided all spoilers so
“NO FEAR.”
I could see the show with fresh-eyes
These moments served as
(which included deleting Facebook,
reminders, to me, of the profound
Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok
nature of this allyship from Madonna
from my phone for 3 days – as the
and the way it had helped change
algorithm feeds me Madonna content
the trajectory of my life – as a queer
all day, every day).
person. Alongside the fact that she
I was blown away. The show
is not only continuing to do it now –
opens with the first Madonna song
but she is amping it up and travelling
I ever bought, from WHSmith in
the world with it, one arena at a time.
Eltham High Street in 1998, “Nothing
Projecting it to millions of people, at
Really Matters,” which then breaks
a moment in political in social history
into an explosive celebration of her
where LGBTQ+ rights are under
career with lights, sparkling outfits,
constant scrutiny and attacks. A time
visibly (and celebratory) queer
where transphobia and homophobia
dancers surrounding her, and the
serve you well, in terms of the
hits. During “Holiday”, Madonna and
algorithm and social media clout.
her dancers recreate time spent in
I am eternally grateful to
the colourful nightlife of the late 70s/
Madonna for the impact she has
early 80s New York City. As the song
had on me and on an immeasurable
draws to a close, one of the dancers
number of peoples understanding
drops down to the floor and ‘dies’. As
of queer people – and I feel she
they do, the beat from Holiday halts
deserves her flowers. I feel like I’ve
but Madonna continues hauntingly
fallen in love with her all over again.
singing “Holiday,” slower-andslower and then finally to a halt as
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@tophertaylor
