Cancel culture. It’s a modernist phrase, introduced by an adaptive generation who are done with dealing with sexist, racist, homophobic, ableist and transphobic individuals. If you think that list was long, I have more.
Nowadays, you can get cancelled for anything. Sneezing in public? You’re sick! You shouldn’t be in public. How dare you carry on with your day to day activities, don’t you know there’s vulnerable people out here?
That’s not to say that knowingly spreading viruses to high risk individuals isn’t inherently wrong. BUT, total public rejection as a consequence seems pretty extreme. And the trolls of the internet do not stop there.
Liked an offensive Tweet back in 2010, a product of a post-work, sleep induced doom scroll? Cancelled.
Attended a Gay club as a Straight person? Cancelled.
Now, not all internet sleuths go to these extremes. But I’m sure these music stars will tell you, once you cross the cancel culture line, there is no going back.
Madonna
Madonna, one of the pop industry’s sweethearts, was recently cancelled at the age of 65. The pop star was performing at her ‘Celebration Tour’ when she mistakenly told a disabled fan to ‘stand up’. The comment sparked outrage amongst fans, however what was more disheartening was the apology.
In response, Madonna replied ‘Oh I’m sorry, politically incorrect.’ These words led to the musician’s downfall. Internet sleuths attacked her for the ableist comment, and the star was officially ‘cancelled.’
Lizzo
What hasn’t this popular artist done? Lizzo, known for pop hits ‘Juice’, ‘Good As Hell’ and ‘Truth Hurts’, has faced her fair share of controversies. From claims of sexual harassment and fatphobia to the use of ableist language in song lyrics, the pop star is anything but a golden child.
After a lawsuit was filed against her by her former employees in 2023, accusing her of sexually harassing and fat shaming her backup dancers, Lizzo responded on Instagram with the following statement:
“I am not here to be looked at as a victim, but I also know that I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be these last few days.”
She added: “There is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world. I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and would absolutely never criticize or terminate an employee because of their weight. I’m hurt but I will not let the good work I’ve done in the world be overshadowed by this. I want to thank everyone who has reached out in support to lift me up during this difficult time.”
Nicki Minaj
This rapper is the queen of controversy. Known for dissing African-American icon Rosa Parks, refusing a COVID-19 vaccination, and regularly engaging in ‘beef’ with fellow rapper’s Megan The Stallion and Cardi B, it seems that Miss Minaj loves the limelight.
However, one fact she might not be so keen to talk about is the accusations against herself and her husband, Kenneth Petty. The convicted sex offender was convicted in 1994 for attempting to rape a teenager who, now 46, has filed a lawsuit against the couple.
The lawsuit, filed in 2021, claims that the couple attempted to bribe and harass the victim into taking back her claims. Minaj was later dropped from the lawsuit, however the alleged claims stained her reputation and caused many fans to renounce the rapper.
