Lady Gaga is no stranger to controversy, but one rumor she chose to brush off during her rise to fame was the claim that she was either a man or intersex. In a conversation on Netflix’s What’s Next? The Future with Bill Gates, Gaga opened up about why she didn’t feel the need to squash the speculation.
Lady Gaga in The Future with Bill Gates
As she recounted to Gates, the rumor followed her everywhere during the height of her stardom. “I went all over the world,” Gaga shared. “I traveled for tours and 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 rumors that you’re a man. What do you have to say about that?’”
However, rather than issuing a formal denial, Gaga handled the questions with a playful, nonchalant attitude. In a memorable 2011 interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper for 60 Minutes, she responded to the rumor head-on.
“There was that rumor that you had a male appendage,” Cooper mentioned during the interview.
“Maybe I do,” Gaga quipped in response. “Would it be so terrible?”
Cooper pointed out that many celebrities might have issued a statement to dispel the rumor, but Gaga found humor in it instead. “Why the hell am I going to waste my time and give a press release about whether or not I have a penis?” she laughed. “My fans don’t care, and neither do I.”
During her discussion with Gates, Gaga provided deeper insight into why she didn’t deny the speculation. For her, it was about more than just a personal rumor—it was about the message it might send to others facing similar accusations.
“The reason I didn’t answer the question is because I didn’t feel like a victim of that lie,” she explained. “And I thought: What about a kid who is being accused of the same thing? Would they think a public figure like me would feel shame? I’ve been in situations where fixing a rumor wasn’t in the best interest of the well-being of other people.”
“People assume […] that my performance is what’s not real. But to me, that’s the most real thing that you’ll see about me.”
Lady Gaga talks about how she’s handled misinformation in her career in What’s Next? The Future with Bill Gates. Now playing. pic.twitter.com/legQm24FEA
— Netflix (@netflix) September 18, 2024
Lady Gaga, who has long been an LGBTQ+ advocate for embracing individuality and self-acceptance, also pointed out that she’s become used to dealing with gossip and “misinformation” throughout her career.
“I’ve been used to lies being printed about me,” she noted. “I’m a performer. I think it’s kind of funny.”
We can all agree the way the singer chose to rise above the speculation was not only powerful, but well-educated. We love you Gaga!
