Pop icon Madonna is in hot water for a recent comment about a fan in a wheelchair at one of her concerts, igniting debate on ableism and accessibility.
During a March 9 stop on her Celebration Tour, the "Like a Virgin" singer is seen in a video recorded by an audience member yelling from the stage while pointing into the crowd, "What are you doing sitting down?" The implication was that the concert attendee should be standing up and/or dancing to show they were having fun or into the music.
However, Madonna realized her blunder when she walked to the edge of the stage and took a closer look at the audience member she had called out. The person was in a wheelchair. Then she said, “Oh, OK. Politically incorrect, sorry about that. I’m glad you’re here,” NBC News reported.
The video has been widely circulated on social media igniting more discourse surrounding concert etiquette with performers like Elle King, Miranda Lambert, Pink and Steve Lacey acting out against fans, perhaps disillusioned with the parasocial relationship with their fans. However, this incident has sparked more than just debate about concert etiquette, it has pointed out the casual ableism and larger accessibility issues for disabled people in spaces like concerts.
Madonna questions fan for sitting down during her show then finds out they’re on a wheelchair:
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) March 9, 2024
“Oh okay, politically incorrect, sorry about that. I’m glad you’re here.” pic.twitter.com/oezHxfjrFn
People online have criticized the singer for ableism, assuming that everyone has the same abilities and needs, and therefore must conform to one physical behavior. “Lots of people need to sit down who don’t use wheelchairs, too. This is honestly just gross, ableist behavior,” one user said on X. “Appreciate that the person purchased a ticket and came to see you!”
Clinical psychologist Dr. Annie Hickox said, "It’s not just ‘politically incorrect’ or ‘woke’ to lambast [sic] wheelchair users. It’s pure ableism & glaring privilege."
Madonna may not have intended any harm with her comment, but this incident highlights how common it is for someone to make an unintentional and casual ableist comment, and she won't be the last. While attitudes and rhetoric have come quite a long way because of federal mandates like the Americans with Disabilities Act, and detailed accessibility guidelines like the ADA Accessibility Standards – nevertheless, ableism still exists and most times it's more subtle, Forbes reported. San Jose State University defines causal ableism as the kind of language that is "microaggressive and can include using disability as an insult or as an expression."
Even using language and words like “stupid,” “insane,” “crazy,” “lame” or “dumb,” unknowingly or not, is participation in ableist language, The Harvard Business Review reported. But also, ableism is so much larger than just the language people use; ableist language reveals to us our unconscious biases and our attitudes towards people with disabilities or disabilities in general. However, even if we were to remove ableism from our language, that doesn't mean ableism will cease to exist in our environments and internal attitudes.
In order to rectify this harmful learned behavior, begin with language and make a conscious effort to improve your vocabulary. Educating yourself and the people around you will destigmatize the more than one billion people worldwide who have some disability. People with disabilities make up a quarter of the United States, Harvard reported.
But the most important solution to ableist rhetoric is not to make assumptions about someone’s identity. This is where Madonna faltered. Not only did she assume someone's identity but she also did not comprehend that standing at a concert for a long period is an accessibility issue that even people who don't use wheelchairs may struggle with because of their less visibile disability.
While the singer immediately apologized when she realized why the person was sitting down instead of standing, it still showed the general attitude that people may have towards people who aren't able-bodied. This is why now more than ever when discussing concert etiquette, accessibility and ableism must be at the forefront of the ever-evolving conversation.
