Lady Gaga is set to release her new album "Born this way" this month. Since her debut she has developed a loyal and growing fan base she calls her "little monsters" - fans who anticipate her every release with a passionate fervor. Gaga's message of "acceptance" and "being yourself" has found a hungry audience with gays, teens and people who sometimes may feel like outcasts. Her earlier singles like "poker face" and "just dance" may have urged you to get up and and move in the club but with the release of her single "born this way" clearly Lady Gaga is now here to educate and empower. The question I ask- what's the true message?
Before I start I just want to first that I am a gay man. I love pop music music and I do not hate Lady Gaga. I'm just not sure I really like her.
On the surface it would seem that Lady Gaga's much hyped single "Born this Way" is an anthem of gay pride. Of empowerment. It appears to be a message to straight homophobic Christians who maintain that homosexuality is a vile choice that gays aren't degenerate people in society. Lady Gaga sings "baby, i was born this way" essentially telling all the people who think gays are made by their environment and family - "fuck nurture- nature made me." The song became a huge hit stateside, debuted at number one on Billboard and no doubt became an instant staple in gay clubs everywhere.
After really listening to this song and the visuals she has created to support the track I have to wonder what her true message is. The sleeve photo shows her as an alien or even demonic being with horns. The video tells the story of a godlike mother monster who gives birth to a pure, loving people caught up in an epic good vs evil struggle. While it would seem these pure people are meant to be her fans its also made me think Gaga is actually promoting the idea that gay people are strange, alien individuals who are very different from normal people. Instead of saying we are the same as anyone else she presents this image of homosexuals as bizarre beings - freaks who operate outside of society. Her message is even condescending - gays are weird freaky people but lets accept them despite being so bizarre because they were born this way. Instead of saying gays are born gay but they are like everyone else and entitled to the same rights as anyone else gaga has gone to say to the press her concerts are safe places to be outrageous. As if all gay men dress up like it's Halloween time.
I'm hopeful one day that people will realize gay people are like anyone else. Homosexuality isn't a choice- either you're gay or you aren't. Ignorance however will always be an option.
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