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Belinda Carlisle Defends Madonna Against Ageist, Sexist Attacks

Belinda Carlisle is no stranger to criticism, so it’s no surprise The Go-Go’s singer is sticking up for pop icon Madonna. Carlisle said in a new interview with Stellar Magazine (h/t Daily…

Belinda Carlisle and Madonna
Jon Kopaloff, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Belinda Carlisle is no stranger to criticism, so it's no surprise The Go-Go's singer is sticking up for pop icon Madonna.

Carlisle said in a new interview with Stellar Magazine (h/t Daily Mail), "'I respect what she's doing. She's brave putting herself out there like that. I don't think I could ever do it."

She added, "There are elements of ageism and sexism; I get that… not as bad as her. They'll either say, 'Oh, she's a hag' or 'Oh my God, look at all the work she's had done.' No one says that about guys, you know."

Madonna made headlines following her appearance at the 2023 Grammy Awards in February. Many people took to social media to criticize her appearance. The source of criticism was the apparent cosmetic surgery she had done to her face.

In the days following the Grammy Awards, Madonna took to Instagram to respond to the many things people were saying about her face. She shared, in part, "Once again, I am caught in the glare of ageism and misogyny that permeates the world we live in. A world that refuses to celebrate women past the age of 45 and feels the need to punish her, if she continues to be strong-willed, hard-working and adventurous."

Madonna added, "I have never apologized for any of the creative choices I have made, nor the way that I look or dress, and I’m not going to start. I have been degraded by the media since the beginning of my career, but I understand that this is all a test, and I am happy to do the trailblazing so that all the women behind me can have an easier time in the years to come. In the words of Beyonce, 'You-won’t break my soul.'"

Today (March 8) is International Women’s Day. How should we celebrate? By honoring the influential women that have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

...Oh, and to serve up the reminder that women accounting for just over eight percent of Rock Hall inductees is simply inexcusable. (For a further breakdown of this, check out Evelyn McDonnell's exceptional piece "The Manhandling of Rock ‘N’ Roll History.")

John Sykes, the Rock Hall's new chairman after Rolling Stone/Rock Hall founder Jann Wenner stepped down as of January 1, 2020, said in countless interviews how the Rock Hall needs to evolve and diversify. It seems as though he's keeping his word. More women are being nominated and more women are being inducted. Tina Turner, Carole King and The Go-Go's were inducted as part of the 2021 class. Meanwhile, Annie Lennox, Dolly Parton, Pat Benatar and Carly Simon are members of the 2022 induction class. Hopefully, fans will see even more women make the cut in future classes.

Until then, scroll through the gallery. It features the remarkable women who have defied the odds to be recognized by the Rock Hall.

Aretha Franklin

GettyImages-2661202-1.jpgExpress Newspapers/Getty Images

Inducted in 1987.


The Supremes (Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson)

GettyImages-961812894.jpgKeystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Inducted in 1988.


Bessie Smith

GettyImages-3374654-1.jpgThree Lions/Getty Images

Inducted in 1989 in the Early Influences category.


Ma Rainey

shutterstock_1646276233-1.jpgLefteris Papaulakis/Shutterstock.com

Inducted in 1990 in the Early Influences category.


Zola Taylor

GettyImages-562580651-1.jpgA. W. Cox/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Inducted in 1990 with The Platters.


LaVern Baker

81nt4qNnggL._SS500_-1.jpgRhino/Atlantic

Inducted in 1991.


Tina Turner

GettyImages-1185624327-1.jpgJohn Rogers/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Inducted in 1991 with Ike & Tina Turner.


Dinah Washington

GettyImages-2323254-1.jpgHulton Archive/Getty Images

Inducted in 1993 in the Early Influences category.


Ruth Brown

71VYz8blZVL._SS500_-1.jpgRhino

Inducted in 1993.


Etta James

EttaJam_TheEsse_CoverAr_500DPI72RGB1000177292-1.jpgUMG

Inducted in 1993.


Cynthia Robinson & Rose Stone

GettyImages-954970358-1.jpgCentral Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Inducted in 1993 with Sly & the Family Stone.


Donna Jean Godchaux

GD_MS.pngRhino

Inducted in 1994 with the Grateful Dead.


Janis Joplin

GettyImages-3322663-1.jpgStroud/Express/Getty Images

Inducted in 1995.


Martha and the Vandellas (Martha Reeves, Rosalind Ashford-Holmes, Annette Sterling-Helton, Lois Reeves, Betty Kelly)

GettyImages-462097061.jpgEvening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Inducted in 1995.


Gladys Knight

GettyImages-3307982-1.jpgan Tyas/Keystone/Getty Images

Inducted in 1996 with Gladys Knight & the Pips


The Shirelles (Shirley Alston Reeves, Addie Harris, Doris Kenner Jackson, Beverly Lee)

GettyImages-3166465-1.jpgKaye/Express/Getty Images

Inducted in 1996.


Maureen Tucker – Inducted in 1996 with The Velvet Underground

Nico_TheVelv_Publici_616DPI72RGB1000129774.jpgUNIVERSAL MUSIC ARCHIVES

Inducted in 1996 with The Velvet Underground.


Grace Slick

GettyImages-72331428-2.jpgMcCarthy/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Inducted in 1996 with Jefferson Airplane .


Mahalia Jackson

GettyImages-3405102-1.jpgDouglas Miller/Keystone/Getty Images

Inducted in 1997 in the Early Influences category.


Joni Mitchell

GettyImages-3261470-1.jpgCentral Press/Getty Images

Inducted in 1997.


Christine McVie & Stevie Nicks

GettyImages-910781382-1.jpgDia Dipasupil/Getty Images

Inducted in 1998 with Fleetwood Mac.


Cass Elliot & Michelle Phillips

GettyImages-2659382-1.jpgWood/Getty Images

Inducted in 1998 with The Mamas & the Papas.


Dusty Springfield

GettyImages-2637606-1.jpgCentral Press/Getty Images

Inducted in 1999.


Cleotha Staples, Mavis Staples & Yvonne Staples

GettyImages-1061690812-1.jpgDon Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Inducted in 1999 with The Staple Singers.


Billie Holiday

GettyImages-50994149-1.jpgHulton Archive/Getty Images

Inducted in 2000 in the Early Influences category.


Bonnie Raitt

GettyImages-462928830.jpgLarry Busacca/Getty Images

Inducted in 2000.


Brenda Lee

GettyImages-1028150852.jpgLen Trievnor/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Inducted in 2002.


Tina Weymouth

GettyImages-704769-1.jpgLawrence Lucier/Getty Images

Inducted in 2002 with Talking Heads.


Chrissie Hynde

GettyImages-458780532-1.jpgTerry Wyatt/Getty Images

Inducted in 2005 with The Pretenders.


Debbie Harry

GettyImages-1137545304-1.jpgRogers/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Inducted in 2006 with Blondie.


The Ronettes (Veronica, Estelle Bennett, Nedra Talley)

GettyImages-2669321-1.jpgFred Mott/Getty Images

Inducted in 2007.


Patti Smith

GettyImages-1140483054-1.jpgTheo Wargo/Getty Images

Inducted in 2007.


Madonna

GettyImages-138324326-1.jpgEzra Shaw/Getty Images

Inducted in 2008.


Wanda Jackson

GettyImages-85805250-1.jpgMichael Loccisano/Getty Images

Inducted in 2009  in the Early Influences category.


Agnetha Fältskog & Anni-Frid Lyngstad

GettyImages-2667246.jpgEvening Standard/Getty Images

Inducted in 2010 with ABBA.


Darlene Love

GettyImages-114186635-1.jpgJared Wickerham/Getty Images

Inducted in 2011.


Claudette Rogers Robinson

GettyImages-3424376-1.jpgEvening Standard/Getty Images

Inducted in 2012 with The Miracles.


Laura Nyro

NyroLau_LiveThe_CoverAr_500DPI72RGB1000031078.jpgUMG

Inducted in 2012.


Ann & Nancy Wilson

GettyImages-3460404-1.jpgExpress Newspapers/Getty Images

Inducted in 2013 with Heart.


Donna Summer

GettyImages-954281198-1.jpgEvening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Inducted in 2013.


Linda Ronstadt

GettyImages-608683727.jpgP. Floyd/Daily Express/Getty Images

Inducted in 2014.


Patti Scialfa

GettyImages-51356643-1.jpgKevin Winter/Getty Images

Inducted in 2014 with The E Street Band.


Joan Jett

GettyImages-454621389-1.jpgChristopher Polk/Getty Images

Inducted in 2015 with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts.


Joan Baez

GettyImages-665988694-1.jpgMike Coppola/Getty Images

Inducted in 2017.


Nina Simone

GettyImages-1943883.jpgPhoto by Getty Images

Inducted in 2018.


Sister Rosetta Tharpe

GettyImages-562624207-1.jpgChris Ware/Keystone Features/Getty Images

Inducted in 2018 in the Early Influences category.


Janet Jackson

GettyImages-517623176-1.jpgFrancois Nel/Getty Images

Inducted in 2019.


Stevie Nicks

GettyImages-1139180512.jpgDimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Inducted as a solo artist in 2019. Nicks is also the first woman double inductee in Rock Hall history.


Whitney Houston

GettyImages-2282278-1.jpgScott Gries/ImageDirect/Getty Images

Inducted in 2020.


Tina Turner

GettyImages-79695027-scaled-1.jpgKevin Winter/Getty Images

Inducted as a solo artist in 2021.


Carole King

GettyImages-1350326650-1-scaled-1.jpgDimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Inducted as a solo artist in 2021.


The Go-Go's

GettyImages-1350345820-scaled-1.jpgArturo Holmes/Getty Images

Inducted in 2021. (Was inducted as a songwriter with Gerry Goffin receiving the Ahmet Ertegun Award in 1990.)


Annie Lennox

GettyImages-1439397347.jpgTheo Wargo/Getty Images

Inducted as a member of the Eurythmics in 2022.


Dolly Parton

GettyImages-1439402870.jpgTheo Wargo/Getty Images

Inducted in 2022.


Pat Benatar

GettyImages-1439364001.jpgTheo Wargo/Getty Images

Inducted with guitarist/songwriting partner Neil Giraldo in 2022.


Carly Simon

GettyImages-670438746.jpgTheo Wargo/Getty Images

Inducted in 2022.

Erica Banas is a news blogger who's been covering the rock/classic rock world since 2014. The coolest event she's ever covered in person was the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Sir Paul McCartney inducting Foo Fighters? C'mon now!) She's also well-versed in etiquette and extraordinarily nice. #TransRightsAreHumanRights