Ecstatic Heterosexuality: On Madonna’s Confessions II

How sexy is a pop star really allowed to be? Not very, if recent controversies about the male gaze are anything to go by. Serving cunt must be completely asexual to be socially permissible. Sabrina Carpenter’s album cover was derided for outfitting the singer-songwriter in a leash being dogwalked. Charli XCX’s “Wink Wink” music video seems like a response to these kinds of criticisms—putting jilling off back into the zeitgeist. But even Olivia Rodrigo’s babydoll dresses have titillated naysayers and prudes who say she’s feeding into Lolita fantasies.