Welcome to AfterEllen.com!

Enter your AfterEllen.com username.
Enter the password that accompanies your username.
News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media

Lady Gaga tops the "Rolling Stone" hot list and talks about being bi

When David LaChapelle is photographing you for the cover of Rolling Stone, you should know you've become some sort of pop icon. I'm pretty sure Lady Gaga is aware that she's become quite a topic of conversation lately, whether it be because of her refusal to wear pants, or that she sings the catchiest songs on the radio right now.

Lady Gaga has been back and forth on her openness discussing her bisexuality, but in the new issue of Rolling Stone, where she tops the magazine's annual Hot List, she addresses the issue. RollingStone.com previews the interview, saying Gaga tells the interviewer "her attraction to women is purely physical. It’s an aspect of her sexuality that makes boyfriends 'uncomfortable,' she says.

The issue comes out today, so you can check out the full interview and possibly find out more on why Gaga's attraction to women makes the men she's with uncomfortable. However, I'm more interested in her statement that the attraction to women is "purely physical" — does she mean to say that she does not have any emotional attraction to women? I would think that has a large part to do with being bisexual versus sexually free.

Lady Gaga is becoming a very public figure in entertainment, and I'd love to appreciate her visibility as a bisexual woman. However, I'm still hoping she doesn't start making statements akin to Megan Fox's "I'm bisexual but I won't date bisexual girls" that make bisexuals look bad or become even more misunderstood as straight women who make out with women when their boyfriends aren't looking.

What do you think of Lady Gaga's bisexuality? Does she owe any sort of explanation as a hyper-sexualized pop star?

Melissa Hsu's picture

bisexual or just sexual?

I would think that has a large part to do with being bisexual versus sexually free.

This is an interesting statement, and one that merits some investigation!  How would we categorize a woman who will have sex with another one, but not become involved on an emotional level? (and, yeah, I know that some of you are already getting ready to reply with the "don't put people in boxes" refrain.  whatev -get over the fact that labels can be useful when they're not used as judgements.)

I would have *no* problem if a gorgeous woman wanted to use me just for sex...

Melissa Hsu's picture

I guess it's up to her..?

I don't see a problem with labels, either -- but I'm more interested in those that people place on themselves as opposed to the assumptions or definitions of others.

It would be nice to hear a woman say the opposite of that, though. That she has a 'purely physical' attraction to both genders, but identifies as lesbian and would never be in a relationship with a man. I know many women who fit in that category, it's underrep'd. 

Baaah. Now I'm curious what she labels herself as, so I'm probably going to buy this issue, and I hate newstand trash.

Anyway. Her music is catchy. I am shiny and I know it, yesss.

 

GrrrlRomeo's picture

Overrated

yeah..overrated anyway. She's just "sexually fluid" or something.

_____________

Tweet: @GrrrlRomeo

Angela's picture

Lady Gaga

she has great music..her live performance is a lil out there..im gonna just go with i will never really understand her or her sexuality

but i like her shes fun lol

HoldingTheArtistHostage's picture

I'm not even gonna try to understand her lol

I don't think anyone understands Lady Gaga, she is pretty wacky..in a good way. I think she is just one of these people who likes to go with the flow, regardless of gender, and because I am not one of these people, I can't figure her out. Its a good thing for bisexuals to have such a high profile person but not if she says something stupid but I like her. She was cool on ellen, saying how much she was a role model to her etc.

 "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I did get the joke about the toaster oven...."

Megan Rose Gedris's picture

bicurious?

To me, bicurious has always meant having a physical attraction to the same sex, but no romantic or emotional interest. They aren't going to settle down with a same-sex partner, so there's no need to come out of the closet, or deal with all the icky hard parts about actually being bi.
meatisadelicacy's picture

Curious, as in wanting to

Curious, as in wanting to know.  Sounds to me like she knows exactly what she's saying.  She's attracted to women.  Bam.
Sass's picture

Is it just me

Or does there seem to be a new girl every week confessing that they are bisexual? I'm not slating it (I wish I knew more people like that!) but I do think in the case of Lady Ga Ga and Megan Fox that it's more to do with attracting the guys as opposed to getting the girls...imo.

 

http://anothergalanotherplanet.blogspot.com/

musicis's picture

I FREAKIN LOVE LADY GAGA

the end.

 

just kidding. I don't really care how she labels herself, and if she just likes women physically thats cool with me.

but I really liked how when she was on Ellen the other week, she pointed out and thanked Ellen DeGeneres for all that she has done for the LGBT community.

it was really cute how she was sooo excited to meet ellen and thank her, and it made me love both of them even more

=)

Jei's picture

Lady GaGa on Ellen

Totally agree! She was sooo excited to be on Ellen's show.

Here are some screenshots I found on a fansite:

 

Lady GaGa and Ellen  Lady GaGa Surprises Ellen

lapislesulike's picture

Thanks for the pics -

Thanks for the pics - they're really excellent!!!  : )
Campbell's picture

Sexual or Bisexual

I am so tired of anecdotal evidence about what Bisexual women do and don't do.  I am so tired of not enough scientific psychological studies done on bisexual women (unlike the tomes of stuff out about gay men/bi men and gay women).  I am so tired of bisexual women not being who they are because they are afraid of putting off/confronting the boyfriends/husbands/male lovers in their lives.  Where is the philosophy of bisexuality?  Where is the theology of bisexuality?  Where is the manifesto of bisexuality?  Certainly not with the likes of Lady Gaga -- despite her amazing talents as an artist -- she does not speak for me.

Lauren's picture

I agree with you but I do

I agree with you but I do like her so meh.
StarFire's picture

Lady Gaga

I absolutely love her music! I could dance to it all night. But I completely understand her when she says "purely physical". I'm bisexual as well and understand that I have a physical attraction to guys but the emotional part doesn't come so easy! It takes a little extra to make my relationships with men work. Most of the time, it's the guy who is more emotionally invested into the relationship than I am, which causes problems (but it doesn't mean I don't care!).
cia_w's picture

I can relate

I know exactly what Lady Gaga means because I'm the same - except my attraction to men is purely physical. Although I tend to label myself as bi, I can't really see myself being with a guy again. There's just no emotional draw for me. Then again, I'll be lying if I say I'm a lesbian because I am attracted to men at times albeit on a very superficial level. Sigh, the troubles of sexual fluidity.
Casee's picture

Definite props to Lady Gaga

Definite props to Lady Gaga for being so honest.  I really do understand what she means about only being physically attracted to women, and I don't see a problem with that at all.  I also feel like there isn't just one way to interpret the term bisexual, as many people use it for different reasons.
greentara313's picture

...

I don't think that Lady Gaga is using bisexual as a way to turn on guys. I think that she has sexual attraction to females and males and is therefore bisexual, whether or not she can be emotionally attached to women.  There are plenty of straight people in the world that have trouble emotionally attaching to the person that they are in a relationship with, but it doesn't make them any less straight. 

I personally identify as bisexual [although I do prefer to call myself a "person that likes people" because I hate labels (but I still represent for my LGBT community)]. I have been in love with a girl before and I can become sexually attracted to girls. But the emotional attraction and the physical attraction with women hasn't always occured hand-in-hand for me.

KayJ's picture

"There are plenty of

"There are plenty of straight people in the world that have trouble emotionally attaching to the person that they are in a relationship with, but it doesn't make them any less straight."

Yeah - that jumped out at me, too. Interesting internalised homo/biphobia, isn't it, when we accept that in straight people but demand that queer people have everything about their sexualities sorted out the way we want them sorted out.

Also, she's 23.  No offence to anyone that age or younger, but it's young.  Are we going to leap on someone that young and expect them to have all areas of their sexuality fully examined, accepted, and labelled for our convenience? 

LolitaVida's picture

My Shallow Contribution

 

Trish has done such a wonderful job of comparing Megan Fox's odd answers with Lady Gaga's veiled ones. The criticism for both is sound and relevant.

I know I should have come prepared to discuss the sexual politics of Lady Gaga's bisexual non-answer.

But frankly, I just wanna take a ride on her discostick.

I LURVE her. She's like a mainstream Peaches.

~Lolita

"But to see her was to love her, love but her, and love forever."

angela's picture

well

i would love for her to just come and say what she means, no reading between the lines or any of that bullshit cause i do enjoy looking at her. guess you might say i have a crush. she is very sexual, i mean have you heard her speak before? and when she came out on ellen, gaga thanked ellen for everything shes done for the gay community. my 13 year old sister asked if gaga had just come out! so i assumed then that it was more than physical attraction to women. but now all this talks of another megan fox dissapointment! not now, gaga! not when everyone loves you! i gotta read the damn article.

djdopesic

greentara313's picture

when i saw the ellen episode...

Related to your specific comment:

When I saw the ellen episode where Lady Gaga said that she wanted to thank Ellen for everything she has done for the LGBT community, I just assumed that it was just a gay friendly comment.  I have plenty of straight friends that would make comments like that just because they are very accepting and have LGBT people in their lives and so they are thankful of people that promote all things gay-friendly. 

Not related to your comment but rather to everyone's comments:

Lady Gaga shouldn't have to explain anything because she honestly said how she feels. She is physically attracted to women. I don't see what cloak she is hiding behind when she says that.  I'm pretty sure that her statement is pretty self-explanatory ("sexual attraction to women"). Read into that whatever you will but the truth is that there are a lot of bisexual people that land on different parts of the bisexuality spectrum and a lot of them, like myself, don't necessarily like using the label of "Bisexual" to identify themselves. That doesn't make their feelings any less real.  Lady Gaga hasn't somehow disowned the LGBT community by making the statement that she made. She is still a very LGBT community friendly person no matter how she identifies herself, so I don't see what the problem is.

andrea's picture

i came out to her

when she was in dallas, i came out to lady gaga, she totally told me she hooks up with women but has a boyfriend. it was mad fun!!!
diotima's picture

I agree that Lady Gaga's

I agree that Lady Gaga's music, performance and videos are catchy and appealing but think she still needs to figure out her own style...because now she sings only what sells and makes her pop-star...Nothing wrong with that at all...but she plays with us (with our taste) as she plays with everything else, including sexuality.

lapislesulike's picture

Being a 100% Gay (Lesbian)

Being a 100% Gay (Lesbian) who has ‘experimented’ with heterosexuality in the past (because I felt I had to), I have to admit I honestly can't understand what it feels like to be bisexual but if it means feeling the way Megan Fox does or the way Lady Gaga 'may', should we judge either of them for it?

imo they're brave enough to admit they are bi so I think we should applaud them.

Lady Gaga is an excellent artiste who, because she is brave enough to be honest, is able to champion the cause for all of us and help to make the world that little bit more accepting than it was before so I think we should all give her our utmost respect. 

 


 

 

: )

Lauren's picture

That is really interesting

That is really interesting about being sexually free as compared to being bisexual which implies you could be IN a relationship with the same sex. Hm.

Sexuality is certainly interesting and doesn't just boil down to gay straight and bisexual. I'm glad studies have been expanding on that .. at least with what I'm reading and surprisingly in The NY Times no less.

Puffin Plant's picture

i think it's bull....she

i think it's bull....she just wants to reach out to the gay community and she'd say any little thing to do so. 

or she was probably horny once and kissed a girl and now considers herself bisexual.