Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Unpalatable, Uncontrollable Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga and I started out as a bad romance, it's true. I underestimated her, made fun of her, and may have even labeled her as gimmicky. I was a monster. That was a very short lived portion of our times together though. I wised up pretty fast to the fact that she's smart, bizarre, and just plain amazingly talented. I have been riding that disco stick ever since.

This past week, the Times of London [Via Jezebel] put into words one reason that I like this lady so much, aside from the fact that I am addicted to her insanely catchy songs of course.

Queue Caitlin Moran of the Times:

Do you know why I love Lady Gaga?

…It's because in the 21st century what women need - second only to some watertight equal-pay legislation and, possibly, slightly wider parking spaces - is other women who are involved in popular culture but don't give a toss what anyone else thinks of them. I don't mean the faux-attitude of, say, the Pussycat Dolls or Fearne Cotton, who manifestly do care what people think, what with their carefully shot publicity material, alluring, non-scary outfits and auras of constantly available, non-threatening, mainstream sexuality. These women are little more liberated than cigarette girls in 1950s nightclubs.

No. I mean women who are right out there, doing what the hell they want, and who would clearly greet any attempt to criticise their appearance or attitude with wildly disbelieving laughter. Women who are unafraid to express aspects of themselves that seem alarming, unpalatable, uncontrollable or just plain horsescaringly bizarre. We need more rolemodels such as this. After all, it's hard to oppress a generation of women who, under the influences of their new heroes, are intent on dressing like hermaphrodite robots with fireworks coming out of their breasts.

Ahhh yes, the future looks bright. Better wear your razor shades.