Lady Gaga has spoken about why she decided not to address rumours circulating early in her career that she was a man.
In an interview with Anderson Cooper in 2011, the Joker: Folie à Deux star was asked: “There was a rumour that you had a male appendage, that you were a hermaphrodite … A lot of artists would have put out some sort of statement saying ‘This is absolutely not true’, but you have fun with it.”
The “Born This Way” singer responded: “Maybe I do. Would it be so terrible? Why the hell am I going to waste my time and give a press release about whether or not I have a penis? My fans don’t care and neither do I.”
Now, in an appearance on Netflix’s What’s Next? The Future With Bill Gates, Gaga has explained why she chose not to dispel the rumours.
“When I was in my early 20s there was a rumour that I was a man,” Lady Gaga told Gates. “I went all over the world. I travelled for tours and for promoting my records and almost every interview I sat in – there was this imagery on the internet that had been doctored – they were like, ‘There’s rumours that you’re a man. What do you have to say about that?’”
Gaga, a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, said the rumours didn’t make her feel like a “victim”, and she didn’t want to pass on any “shame” to a child being accused of the same.
“The reason why I didn’t answer the question is because I didn’t feel like a victim with that lie and I thought: What about a kid who is being accused of that who would think that a public figure like me would feel shame?” she said.
“I’ve been in situations where fixing a rumour was not in the best interest of the well-being of other people.”
Gaga explained that she’s used to “misinformation” and decided to try and use it to inspire thought and make a point.
Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 30-day free trial
Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 30-day free trial
“In that case, I tried to be thought provoking and disruptive in another way. I tried to use the misinformation to create another disruptive point.
“I’ve been used to lies being printed about me since I was 20 years old. I’m a performer. I think it’s kind of funny.”
The rumours about Gaga started after her performance at Glastonbury in 2009 when a photo went viral appearing to show a bulge in her underwear. Gaga says the image was doctored.
In 2010, in an interview with Q, Gaga addressed the rumours and talked about leaning into them.
“We all know that one of the biggest talking points of the year was that I have a d***, so why not give them what they want? I want to wear a d*** strapped to my vagina.
“I also carry myself onstage in a masculine way and sing in a low register. This is not out of nowhere, right? I want to comment on that in a beautiful, artistic way. How I wanna show it. And I want to call this piece ‘Lady Gaga Dies Hard.’”
She went on to explain what the rumours signified, especially about a female performer open about her sexuality.
“When a guy says, ‘Oh I f***** all these chicks this week’, there’s a high-five and giggling. But when a woman does it, and it’s publicised, or she’s open about her sexuality, or she’s free or liberated, it’s, ‘Oh, she must have a d***. There’s a threat.”
What’s Next? The Future With Bill Gates is currently streaming on Netflix.