In the past, people have hailed Lady Gaga as “weird” and “strange”. We all remember her interesting attire and hairstyles that were made fun of for weeks. However, it seems that Gaga has had a transformation. She is no longer ridiculed for her attire, and she is instead praised for her actions. On February 28th, at the 88th Academy Awards, Gaga performed the song "Til it Happens to You" from the documentary, The Hunting Ground, which is a hard look at sexual assault on college campuses. It was a moving and beautiful statement that sexual assault victims are never at fault, and they are never alone.
Gaga even brought fifty survivors on stage with her at the climax of the song. And at the very end, they all joined hands and lifted their arms in the air in solidarity. Gaga, a survivor herself, got a standing ovation from the Oscar’s audience.
Lady Gaga also posted a photo of her and singer Kesha on Twitter. After the court ruled that Kesha could not break her contract with Dr. Luke, who she accuses of rape, Gaga was one of the first to reach out to her in support. The photo showed the two women holding hands with the caption “Free Kesha”. This photo, as well as the Oscar’s performance, holds such a strong message to survivors of sexual assault.
Gaga lets survivors know that they are not alone, that people support them, and that their feelings are valid. As a survivor myself, I know what it feels like to blame yourself and wonder what you could have done wrong. But Lady Gaga and Vice President Joe Biden, who introduced her at the Awards, sent a strong message: it is never the victims fault. That message was viewed by millions of people watching the Oscars, and it made me want to cry. So many people have been affected by sexual assault, and for a celebrity like Gaga to get on a national stage and present a beautiful message is heartwarming.
Feminism seems to be in a “new age” or sorts, where thousands of women are demanding equal treatment in the media, in the workplace, and in public. There have been a lot of celebrities who have spoken out about feminism and gender issues including Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lawrence, Kerry Washington, Mark Ruffalo and Viola Davis. Lady Gaga’s activism isn’t entirely new, however, it is nice to see her focus on sexual assault.
Sexual assault is a scary and uncomfortable subject for many. But it is important to talk about and I’m glad that Lady Gaga is willing to have that conversation. She is a brave woman, brave for telling her story, brave for supporting other survivors, and brave for sending that message to the Oscar’s audience, as well as the world. It is so great to see everyone talking about Gaga on Facebook today. This is a conversation that is so important to so many people. So, thank you Lady Gaga. Thank you for speaking up. You’ve made me, and so many other survivors, feel loved and supported. Thank you.
