Lady Gaga, West Hollywood Celebrate ‘Born This Way’ Day
Undeniably, Lady Gaga is one if not the most iconic pop signers this side of Madonna, and one of the most successful recording artists of all times. Now, Mother Monster has been forever immortalised. On May 23, West Hollywood celebrated its newest official holiday – the “Born This Way Day.”
The new holiday was announced to commemorate the release of Gaga’s album of the same name, which turned 10 on Sunday. The ceremony, which was held on Robertson Boulevard, also saw Gaga being handed the keys to the city by Mayor Lindsey P. Horvath. A large street painting of the album title in the colours of both the Pride and Trans flags was also unveiled at the event.
During the ceremony, Gaga turned to the crowd, telling them “You’ve been the motherfuckin’ key to my heart for a long time.”
Born This Way, my song and album, were inspired by Carl Bean, a gay black religious activist who preached, sung and wrote about being “Born This Way.” Notably his early work was in 1975, 11 years before I was born. pic.twitter.com/92oIuPQYHs
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) May 24, 2021
As the lead single from her second studio album, Gaga wrote the song while on the road with her Monster Ball Tour and was inspired by the types of 90s music which empowered women and the gay community. Gaga went onto later explain that “Born This Way” was her freedom song. Since it release, it has become firmly embedded within mainstream queer culture.
“Born This Way, my song and album, were inspired by Carl Bean, a gay black religious activist who preached, sung and wrote about being ‘Born This Way,'” Gaga wrote in a social media post celebrating her new holiday.
“Notably his early work was in 1975, 11 years before I was born. Thank you for decades of relentless love, bravery, and a reason to sing. So we can all feel joy, because we deserve joy. Because we deserve the right to inspire tolerance, acceptance, and freedom for all.”
Earlier this year, Lady Gaga made headlines after her three French bulldogs were stolen in dramatic scenes while being walked by long term friend and dog walker, Ryan Fischer who was also shot in the altercation. Thankfully, Gaga’s dogs were found, and Fischer made a full recovery.
More recently, while being interviewed for Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry’s new Apple TV+ series about mental health The Me You Can’t See, the award winning artist opened up about being raped at the age of 19 by a music producer and left pregnant.
“I was 19 years old, and I was working in the business, and a producer said to me, ‘Take your clothes off,” Gaga recalled. “And I said no. And I left, and they told me they were going to burn all of my music. And they didn’t stop. They didn’t stop asking me, and I just froze and – I don’t even remember. The person who raped me, dropped me off pregnant on a corner”.
