There is no doubt that Lady GaGa is a queer pop culture
Mecca, ripe for analysis. The often controversial pop princess has embraced
queer culture just as her fans have embraced their limited edition version of
Born This Way, available exclusively at Target. But maybe that is part of the
problem, now sure you can’t blame a recording artist for trying and succeeding in
selling records, however GaGa is not just selling records; she is fitting
directly into a trend of constructing a queer niche market and targeting it as
a consumer base. This is problematic as well if you view content as aimed
specifically at queer people because it begins to support and reproduce
stereotypes. The song “The Fame” is a prime example with lyrics extolling
excess and vapid shallow consumerism such as “I can’t help myself I’m addicted
to a life of material” and “All we care about it is runway models, Cadillacs,
and liquor bottles” as well as “We gotta taste for champagne, and endless
fortune”. Now it is easy at this point to denounce the song and its message as
intentionally over the top, sarcastic, and ultimately critical of this party
oriented lifestyle. In fact much of GaGa’s over the top career could be viewed
as a campy and mocking post-modern critique of pop culture, however there are
still several issues. First if queer identified fans do not understand the
potential satire and hyperbolic approach of Lady GaGa they may take the
messages seriously, being shaped into a more homonormative consumer while
reproducing negative stereotypes about queer people. The next issues comes with
how Lady GaGa herself acts, despite how detrimental the effects may be we can’t really blame her
for fans not understanding her intended message. However GaGa’s actions are at
times hypocritical, for instance having a deluxe version of her album sell exclusively at
Target after Target donated money to conservative politicians whose stated goal
was to create a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. This shows
that to Lady GaGa queer rights maybe important but not as important as fame,
fortune, and success and if that is the case then vapid consumerism is not a
satirical critique but rather a value instilled in fans to ensure high album
sales.
Regardless
of Lady GaGa’s exact motives or meanings the reality resulting from her work
can still be viewed with regard to homonormativity and “The Gay Marketing
Moment”. Lady GaGa’s work can be seen as homonormative as she creates a
narrative that plays into rather than challenging the heteronormative image of
queer people, further she has been a major proponent for the 3 M’s as she has
directly advocated for queer equality in both the Military and Marriage, while
representing queers (or things believed to be queer values) in the Market
(Dodson, Leigh 2/22/12 Lecture). The immediate issue is that the queer values she
represents are shallow and stereotypical as well as the fact that marriage and
military equality are valuable but not the most dire and important issues for
the queer community (as homeless youth being disproportionately queer, queer youth
being disproportionately bullied and attacked and other issues are generally
more pressing and important). Now while this is all very critical of Lady GaGa
I think it is worthwhile to acknowledge some of the ways she has created
positive narratives. Despite the obvious marketing to queers as a niche market,
Lady GaGa’s song “Born This Way” has a strong message of being proud of your
identity regardless of societal expectations of normal, right and wrong. In
some senses “Born This Way” has become an anti-bullying queer anthem, inspiring
an entire episode of the Fox Television Series Glee, a show generally devoted to
stop high school bullying. This is not the first time Lady GaGa has used her
music to positively represent traditionally marginalized groups. In her music
video for “Paparazzi” Lady GaGa challenges the narrative of ableism where
people with disabilities are “seen as childlike and asexual” with media
representations being desexualizing, dehumanizing, and demeaning (Clare, 2001).
At 3:44 in the “Paparazzi” video GaGa in a wheel chair is stripped down to a
skimpy and conventionally sexy outfit as she stands from the wheelchair while
being supported by a pair of crutches. Here GaGa represents people with disabilities
as sexy and sexual, a media representation that I have never really seen
before. So Lady GaGa is a complex figure worthy of if nothing else critical
thought, whether she is reproducing stereotypes or destroying them,
whether she is wearing a meat dress or crutches Lady GaGa seems to always have
a point, and as a queer pop culture icon it is important to understand her work
and the impact it has on the queer community.
Clare, Eli. "Stolen Bodies, Reclaimed Bodies:
Disability and Queerness" Popular Culture 13(3) 359-365. 2001
Dodson, Leigh. “Queer Rurality, Working Class Queer
Cultures, and Queer Anti-Urbanism.” Fem 80. Girvetz, Santa Barbara. 2/22/12.
Lecture.
Lady GaGa. “The Fame” Lyrics (http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858738345/)
Lady GaGa “Paparazzi” Music Video
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgKrzdaDQMw)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgKrzdaDQMw)
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