Lady Gaga recently reflected on an early chapter in her career when rumors circulated about her gender, and she explained why she chose not to deny them. In an interview for the Netflix series What’s Next? The Future With Bill Gates, the singer discussed how she handled the speculation.
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“When I was in my early 20s, there was a rumor going around that I was a man,” Gaga, now 38, recalled. “I was traveling all over the world for tours and promoting my records, and almost every interview would bring it up. People would ask, ‘What do you have to say about the rumor that you’re a man?'”
While she didn’t appreciate the invasive questions, Gaga chose not to address the rumor directly. Known for her bold, androgynous looks during that time, she explained that she was intentional in her silence. “I didn’t feel like a victim of that lie,” she shared. “I thought about how a kid being accused of the same thing might feel, and I didn’t want my response to make them think they should be ashamed.”
Gaga emphasized that sometimes addressing a rumor head-on isn’t the best approach. “I’ve been in situations where fixing a rumor wasn’t in the best interest of others,” she said. Instead, she aimed to use the misinformation to spark thought and conversation in a more meaningful way.
The pop star, who’s been in the spotlight since her early 20s, said she’s grown accustomed to rumors being spread about her, stating, “I’m used to lies being printed about me since I was 20.”