If there is one young person alive in Hollywood today that everyone, no matter how they identify, should look up to, itâs Lady Gaga.
Of course, we all remember the impact she had when she first emerged on the pop charts with the hits âPoker Face,â âJust Dance,â âBad Romanceâ and many others. Her songs were catchy, and her outfits (remember the meat dress?) caught the attention of the world. It felt as though Gaga was a commodity, her aura an unending publicity stunt. So, as it does with everything that goes even just slightly against the grain, society did what it traditionally does best; criticize and judge. Because her actions were âweirdâ, âstrangeâ and an array of other words tabloids used to describe her, the world seemed to turn against Gaga as a person and solely focus on the catchy songs sheâd release. Thatâs not entirely a bad thing when youâre trying to sell records, but for as human being with an incredible amount to give the world, itâs incredibly unfortunate.
Despite the criticism, however, Gaga prevailed. Not only that, but she used her quirkiness for good; showing people everywhere that standing out is okay, and that every human being, no matter who they are or what they do, is worthwhile.
Since then, encouraging people to be themselves has been a part of Gagaâs mantra. From her single âBorn This Wayâ where she says, âDonât hide yourself in regret, just love yourself and youâre set,â to her stunning performance of ââTill It Happens To Youâ at the 2016 Academy Awards (beautifully sung as she stood beside fellow sexual abuse survivors), Gaga blatantly expresses her position as an ally, supporter and lover of all people. She encourages minorities and those who are oppressed because of their identity to love themselves; something that, quite often, is the hardest thing to do. Gaga is the essence of positivity in a world where negativity exists.
Also, if you saw her performance of âThe Star Spangled Bannerâ before this yearâs Super Bowl, you can clearly see in how carefully, yet vibrantly, she sang, that she was truly honored to be there. The amount of love and patriotism in her heart for the United States was evident. No one could have been a more perfect choice to represent all 319 million of us.
Eloquently expressing all of the reasons that people should look up to Lady Gaga is an impossible task. She stands for the good in the world, has overcome obstacles and given hope to people everywhere. So, the next time you see her in one of her artfully flashy outfits, recognize that sheâs doing it for us, too; illustrating that judgement will happen, so you might as well flaunt your individuality.
Gaga, thank you. From the bottom of our hearts.
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