Pop princesses today satisfy young America's ever-present need to rebel by acting as sexual nonconformists. The trend technically started with Britney (what shift in the role of the pop star doesn't?) when she kissed Madonna at the 2003 VMAs. However, queer sexuality did not arise again among the current regime of princesses until a few years ago with Katy Perry's breakout album, One of the Boys. While riding her faux lesbianism from "I Kissed a Girl" to the top of the charts, Katy took some heat for exploiting the gays, but not enough to stick with her in our collective memory. Katy dropped her newfound questioning of sexuality as quickly as she had adopted it. Did you see any mention of it in her second album? I didn't either. The façade, though, skyrocketed her to the top. America was ready for a committed rebel against sexual norms. They were ready for Gaga.
Gaga first invaded the airwaves in 2008, bringing with her equal parts bisexual, bipolar, multiple personality disorder, and maybe a dash of transgender. She has herself, she has Jo Calderone, she has that weird mermaid character which is really just a rip-off of Bette Midler. Sorry I don't know the name; I'm no little monster. Regardless, the masses need a rebel, and rebel she does. Just as homosexuality comes into vogue, she begins to wail against the oppressive norms of hetero society, preaching her parables from the top of Billboard's Hot 100.
She has been such a force because she is a rebel. She is nothing else, and what's more, she challenges concrete standards, a huge feat for a pop princess. Other rebellious pop stars sink back into oblivion for not fully committing to subversion. The people want a rebel with substance. Who thinks of Avril Lavigne any more? No one. But a few months ago, the girl was all over the airwaves with her single "What the Hell." And while the song was wildly popular for a few weeks, it had none of the durability of a Gaga instant classic, simply because Lavigne failed to stand for anything. She rebels just to rebel. The rising liberal collegiate class has an overwhelming need to take a stand. Silly little white girls, who have never faced any sort of adversity and never will, need to prove just how open-minded they are, so they stand behind Gaga. They support her relentlessly because letting her sink back to the abyss of aging, forgotten stars, would not just be the end of her 15 minutes. Letting her lose focus before they have fulfilled their entire gay agenda, which ironically the gays did not create, would make them superficial. People would question their commitment to the issue. Rather than changing the world, they would just live in it.
Don't be mistaken, the reason these rebel pop stars exist is to fill young America's need to change the world. After years of winning awards, even if only for participation, after years of parents convincing the world of their child's brilliance, what other tasks remain worthy of the new liberals? An ignorant observer might think that a new age of radical self-expression has dawned in America. In reality, the cult of conformity persists with sticking out as the new goal as opposed to fitting in. And if the quest to achieve the avant-garde forces pop stars and their harem of high schoolers to insincerely question their sexuality, respect be damned, they must!
Other than that, she's made herself rich and famous slipping on Madonna's old shock and awe heels (resoled of course) and cranking out her equally annoying music.
It's why I won't be voting for Obama again, by the way.
Oh, and its YUYI. The mermaid. Not a rip off of Bette Middler- she didn't invent mermaids. And you really don't have to be a Little Monster to know that- just google Gaga Mermaid.
I'm incredibly grateful for Gaga and everything she does to stand up for equality, and for the support and love she shows her fans, gay or straight. She has a positive message for all of us, if we choose to listen. She is wildly popular and has such devoted fans because her fans know she is sincere. The relationship she has with us, and we have with her, is unique and precious.
I don't need Gaga to "insincerely question" my sexuality. I came out 13 years ago. She just confirms it. :)
Really, Seth, you need to be clearer in what you say. I simply can't tell what you stand for from what you wrote. The only message I seem to be able to glean from this mess is that you intend to insult "silly little white girls" who "insincerely question their sexuality" by following a pop star. You seem to be defining yourself as being in opposition to this.
Try defining yourself in a positive way, rather than tearing down those around you. Then maybe you'll have something interesting to say to me.