Born March 28, 1986 as Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, Lady Gaga’s music has been playing in gay clubs since her rise to fame with her 2008 debut album – appropriately named The Fame. Gaga is known for her eccentric sense of style as a singer, songwriter and yes, as a fashion icon. Her following in the LGBT community, however, goes beyond her music. San Diego LGBT Weekly presents the top five reasons why we love Lady Gaga.
LET THE MUSIC PLAY:Before we get to Lady Gaga’s style – oh, does she have style – we should address her substance. She is one of the hottest singers today.
Inspired by other LGBT iconic artists, including David Bowie, Elton John, Queen, Madonna, Michael Jackson and Amy Winehouse, Gaga is well-recognized as an outstanding recording artist. Her musical contributions in just the past two years have garnered her numerous achievements, including five Grammy Awards, 11 Video Music Awards, an American Music Award and the 2010 GLAAD Media Awards. She holds four Guinness World Records (the record for the largest gathering of Lady Gaga impersonators is not counted).
And if imitation is the best form of flattery, then you should take a stroll through YouTube.com and check out all the singing groups that have converted her pop hits into acapella wonders. Teenage fan Greystone Chance became a viral sensation within days after posting his video, which shows him singing Gaga’s “Paparazzi” at a sixth grade talent show. The original video has been viewed more than 8 million times since it was posted on YouTube last April.
Despite her musical success over the years, her biggest contribution to the LGBT community is her newest song, the gay anthem “Born This Way.”
“Other songs have become gay anthems, but this might be the first time” a big star has written a song for that purpose, said Michael Jensen, editor of AfterElton.com.
Add another musical milestone for Lady Gaga. Our anthem became the fastest-selling single ever on Apple’s iTunes store worldwide, racking up more than one million downloads in its first five days.
WARDROBE CHANGES: In addition to her music, Lady Gaga is also known for her even more famous eye-popping, often ridiculous fashion choices. From stuffed Kermit the Frogs to flanks of raw beef, nothing is off limits to this fashion-forward star. It’s enough to make any drag queen drool.
“Maybe she’s setting trends we don’t even know exist yet because she is so ahead of the fashion curve,” the Hollywood Gossip has said about her fashions.
Those trends were recognized this week by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), which named the star the recipient of their 2011 Fashion Icon Award. The diva will receive the honor for “being a fashion revolutionary impacting style today.”
“We look forward to once again honoring the best and brightest talent working today,” Steven Kolb, CFDA executive director, said in a statement on the site. “Winning a CFDA Fashion Award is the highest and one of the most coveted honors one can receive in our industry.”
SHE ASKS, SHE TELLS: “It was like she made the gay community and gay rights her mission,” Jensen has said.
There have been countless organizations working for years to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT), the military’s ban on LGBT service members. Lady Gaga dramatically raised the profile of DADT when she urged the Senate to repeal the policy throughout 2010.
In September of that year, wearing a relatively conventional suit – conventional for her, anyway – the singer made a surprise appearance at a DADT rally in Maine. “I thought equality was non-negotiable,” she said at the event. “I’m here because ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ is wrong, it’s unjust and fundamentally it is against all we stand for as Americans.”
That same month, her escorts to the Video Music Awards were former Air Force Major Mike Almy, former Air Force Staff Sergeant David Hall, and former Army Sergeant First Class Stacy Vasquez. She won eight awards that night.
The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) recognized Lady Gaga for her work at its annual National Dinner just this past weekend.
“Lady Gaga’s outspoken commitment to end ‘Don’t Ask’ discrimination helped to renew the call for repeal on the national stage and emboldened millions of young people to get engaged, take action and play a decisive role in repealing this bad law,” said Zoe Dunning, retired Navy Commander and SLDN Board Co-chair. “We are profoundly grateful to Lady Gaga for her passion and tireless involvement.”
Gaga’s constant, outspoken support of gay rights is unusual at her level of stardom, Jensen said, and her ability to be so political without alienating her broader fan base is reflective of changing attitudes.
BULLSEYE: Target got in trouble with the LGBT community last year when it was revealed they were funding some questionable donations. The retailer contributed $150,000 to a Minnesota group backing Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer, who opposes same-sex marriage.
After suffering some major backlash from the LGBT community, and pending an exclusive CD deal with Lady Gaga, Target changed its policies.
“Target remains committed to the LGBT community as demonstrated by our contributions to various LGBT organizations, our recently established Policy Committee to review our political giving and our respectful, inclusive workplace environment,” a statement read.
However, according to E Online, Target ultimately “refused to promise that it would never donate to political groups or politicians believed to be anti-gay.”
Two weeks after announcing Target and Lady Gaga had kissed and made up, she pulled out of the exclusive CD deal.
SHE’S IN SAN DIEGO! Lady Gaga’s 2010 Monster Ball tour has been extended into 2011 and she returns to San Diego March 29 at SDSU’s Viejas Arena (formerly COX Arena). This will be Gaga’s first show here since a sold-out show in 2009 at the San Diego Sports Arena.
If you don’t already have tickets, however, it won’t be cheap. The lowest price as of press time was $109 per ticket – and that’s from the Vieja’s Arena official box office, not an inflated price from a scalper.
If you get to see her, sing her new anthem and let everyone around you know that you were born this way, too.
