Lady Gaga New Foundation: What is 'Born This Way' Hiding?
Lady Gaga, pop phenomenon and gay activist, has started a project called the Born This Way Foundation to empower youth and promote acceptance.
The “passion project,” according to Gaga, is in partnership with several big-named foundations like The California Endowment, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Berkman Center for Internet and Society, which is a division of Harvard University.
Gaga – formerly known only as Stefani Germanotta – also sought the help of her mother, Cynthia Germanotta. According to the mother-daughter duo, “Together we hope to establish a standard of Bravery and Kindness, as well as a community worldwide that protects and nurtures others in the face of bullying and abandonment."
Lady Gaga has long been known for her support of the gay community, whom she says were instrumental in her rise to fame. To Gaga, they acted as the initial catalyst for her music to be widely broadcast.
Gaga said, “The turning point for me was the gay community… they're so loyal to me and they really lifted me up. They'll always stand by me and I'll always stand by them. It's not an easy thing to create a fanbase.”
Gaga is also openly bisexual, and has spoken out on the fact in the past. Her sexuality, as well as her support from the gay community, has given her the clout to become a LGBT advocate.
The pop star has campaigned against regulations she feels are unjust, like the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy and the federal prohibition of gay marriage. “We fight for justice,” Gaga claims.
With Gaga practically becoming a poster child for gay activism, second in influence only to Ellen Degeneres, it’s a wonder that her foundation has chose to support “issues like self-confidence, well-being, anti-bullying, mentoring, and career development,” instead of just simply homosexual activism.
Of course, all those who visit the website would see the “born this way” emblazoned in bright red on the site, highlighting the cause it truly backs.
However, Gaga has adopted the language of various media campaigns to mesh homosexuality with the larger issues of bullying, tolerance, and acceptance. These kinds of issues are much more difficult for Christians to confront, especially when they were the same terms used in the Civil Rights movement.
As to the reasons for the superfluous vernacular, nothing has been confirmed. It can only be assumed that Gaga and her mother, Germanotta, want to stay under the radar.