In 2011, she created the Born This Way Foundation to help erase bullying of the LGBTQ+ youth, and the infamous 2010 ‘meat dress’ was actually a vessel to express anger at the US military’s anti-LGBTQ+ policy. On top of her theatrical approach to performance, Gaga remains one of the fiercest celebrity advocates for LGBTQ+ rights. She frequently acknowledges the role her gay fans have played in her success, and dedicated the ‘Alejandro’ music video to the community. She’s unafraid to question the constructs of gender and what it means to be feminine in 2010 Gaga created her alter ego ‘Jo Calderone’, who attended the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards and in a critique of the theatrical nature of gender, and the hyper-sexualisation of Gaga’s feminine identity. 'Gay icons tend to incorporate themes of acceptance, self-love and sexuality into their work, and Lady Gaga ticks all these criteria.
