Lady Gaga has finally spoken out about the rumours that have been circulating since the early days of her career that she is a man. In the second episode of What’s Next? The Future with Bill Gates, the pop star spoke about her decision to stay mum on the matter, and recalled how she was bombarded with such questions during her global tours and media appearances.
The Bad Romance singer explained how she “didn’t feel like a victim” amid these claims and, therefore, didn’t feel the need to comment on the rumor until she clarified her position on the Netflix show, which premiered on Wednesday.
Lady Gaga comments on ‘The Man’ rumors
“I didn’t answer the question because I didn’t feel like I was becoming a victim by lying,” Gaga said while visiting the OTT platform for Gates’ new series. “But I thought, what about the child who is being accused of this, would think that a public figure like me would feel ashamed,” she added.
The pop star recalled the days when she had to deal with such claims and was often asked questions at press conferences about manipulated photos on the internet and rumors that she was a man. In 2011, she told CNN, “Why should I waste my time and put out press releases about whether or not I have a penis? My fans don’t care about that and neither do I.”
ALSO READ: Jennifer Lopez’s mother slams reunion claims in video that resurfaces after Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ arrest: Watch
Lady Gaga recalls trying to ‘change the narrative’
“I’ve been in situations where it wasn’t in other people’s best interest to correct a rumor,” the Bloody Mary singer admitted on Gates’ new show, which focuses on “the most important issues in the world.”
“I tried to be thought-provoking and disruptive in another way. I tried to use misinformation to make a more disruptive point,” she said. Gaga reflected on her long history with misinformation, saying, “I’ve been used to having lies printed about me since I was 20. I’m an artist. I think it’s a bit of fun.”
Also read: Inside Sean Diddy’s ‘brutal’ Brooklyn jail, plagued by murders and suicides; once housed R. Kelly and Ghislaine Maxwell
The clip of the show soon went viral on the internet, with fans praising the singer’s way of dealing with controversies, her thoughtful actions and her honesty. “And this is why Gaga is MOTHERRRR,” one user commented. “The epitome of elegance, honesty, stardom and royalty,” another added. “Seriously, her level of eloquence, long-term strategy, empathy and utter bravery is remarkable,” a third added.
A fourth added, “I love how intelligent, humble and thoughtful Lady Gaga is when she talks about defending LGBTQ+ rights and calling out Bill Gates’ stupid press interviews about him being transgender in his “What’s Next? The Future” Netflix documentary.”
Lady Gaga ‘man’ rumours
The rumor began after a photo from the 2009 Glastonbury Festival led some to point out a bulge in her dress. Gaga often responded to the rumors with sarcasm or indifference, insisting that her fans are not concerned about her gender.
To push back and challenge these expectations, Gaga adopted the drag king persona of Jo Calderone. She adopted this second persona for several high-profile appearances, including a Vogue cover shoot and hosting the VMAs. She continued to channel her cigar-smoking fictional male character in the You and I music video from her 2011 album Born This Way.
