Lady Gaga broke down in tears as she gave an impassioned speech about the struggles she has overcome whilst being honoured at the Women In Hollywood Awards hosted by Elle magazine on Monday night in Beverly Hills.
The 32-year-old singer was introduced onto the stage by Jennifer Lopez and grew emotional as she addressed the star-studded audience.
Her speech was prefixed by J Lo announcing ‘When they tell us to stay in our lane, we make a new one’, as she discussed the performer’s impact on the industry.
As Gaga was cheered onto the stage, the Born This Way hitmaker sobbed: ‘I don’t know if I’m working it right now…. In truth I tried to memorise this speech because it’s so beautiful but you give me hope, thank you Jennifer for that beautiful introduction, you’re an inspiration to so many.’
She explained her decision to wear a trouser suit instead of a gown was not a flippant one, but a statement in how she has overcome adversity.
Revealing that she had tried on several gowns ahead of the event, she explained that she ultimately settled on a trouser suit as she didn’t want to perpetuate the notion that women are ‘members of a giant beauty pageant meant to be pit against one another for the pleasure of the public.’
She revealed: ‘As a sexual assault survivor by someone in the entertainment industry, as a woman who is still not brave enough to say his name, as a woman who lives with chronic pain, as a woman who was conditioned at a very young age to listen to what men told me to do, I decided today I wanted to take the power back. Today I wear the pants.’
Gaga continued: ‘After I was assaulted when I was 19, I changed forever. Part of me shut down for many years. I didn’t tell anyone. I avoided it myself. And felt shame even still today standing in front of you.
‘I feel shame for what happened to me. I still have days where I feel like it was my fault. After I shared what happened to me with very powerful men in this industry, nobody helped me.’
She continued: ‘No one offered my guidance or a helping hand to lead me to a place where I felt justice, they didn’t even point me in the direction of the mental health assistance I was in dire need of. Those men hid because they were afraid of losing their power. And because they hid, I began to hide. I hid for a long time until I started to feel physical pain.’
‘Then I had to go to the doctor because I didn’t know what was wrong with me. And then I was diagnosed with PTSD and Fibromyalgia, which many people don’t think is real, and I don’t even know what the f**k to say about that.
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‘But I’ll tell you what it is. It’s a syndrome that is essentially a cyclone of stress induced pain. And I really wish my friend Lena Dunham was here tonight because I think she could probably articulate this much better than me. And I hope we can all agree that she’s a remarkable woman.
‘Depression, anxiety, eating disorders, trauma—these are just a few examples of the forces that can lead to this tornado of pain. So what I would like to say in this room of powerful women and men today is let’s work together to beckon the world towards kindness.
‘I’m fortunate enough now to have the resources to help me. But for many, the resources either don’t exist or people don’t have the ability to pay for or access them. I want to see mental health become a global priority….
‘For me, this is what it means to be a woman in Hollywood. It means, I have a platform. I have a chance to make a change. I pray we listen and believe and pay closer attention to those around us to those in need….Be a helping hand. Be a force for change.’
The singer and actress, who is winning rave reviews for her performance in A Star Is Born, was supported by her fiancé Christian Carino, 49, at the event.
The couple went public with their romance in February last year and have been inseparable ever since.
Gaga, real name Stefani Germanotta, recently revealed to Elle magazine that ‘success tests relationships,’ as well as families and ‘your dynamic with your friends.
The actress also explained in her November cover story that ‘there is a price to stardom,’ but ‘I can’t make music or act without using the pain that I have in my heart.’
Source: fibrowomen.com
Stephanie- OMG! you are exactly the age I was when I was attacked.,kidnapped and raped. Although I wasn’t in that business I was very busy with motherhood, marriage and our own business…I understand your pain so vividly…Fortunately, a very awesome deputy saw a man in his rearview mirror that looked like the composite drawing and pulled him over….He was arrested. we went to trial… He got 350 years. I have all my newspaper clippings… YOU MUST BRING CHARGES AGAINST THIS MONSTER!!! I’ll help you anyway I can… dee m.
Sigh…. yet another, “I’m a perpetual victim….” She needs to end her “pity party” and enjoy the successes she’s had up to this point knowing full well that, if she doesn’t accept her abuse for what it was – something from her past – she will never become unshackled from it in her future either. When her star fades – and, it will – she will be nothing more but an aging, embittered perpetual victim that never became a victor. By the way, abused happens to both sexes – not just to women. Just saying…
I’m sorry you don’t understand the “process” that Lady Gaga is currently going thru. She has first to recognize her story ( which she is now doing) come to grips with it. ( which she is now doing ) She must also ( which you do not apparently understand) try and cope with FIBROMYALGIA which is a debilitating disease which due to trauma causes a number of symptoms that basically runs you life including muscle pain and aches so severe its like having the FLU day and night. no sleep. memory loss and other things you don’t want to know about at her young age. I’m sorry LEADERSPEAK…. we can’t all be sexually assaulted and be OKAY! Go back to your speaking…
Admitting the past is part of healing the present. I’m grateful Lady Gaga is speaking out about this. May it help her, empower her and help others, too!
Have you had something similar happen to you
I’d hate to always be in the public eye like she is.
You know when we look at ourselves when we’re in full flare up and we make that decision to not venture out???? well, bless her, she hasnt much option and will be hounded to have her picture taken whether she feels like it or not!
I’d love the money she earns but certainly not to be picked to pieces for it.
I wish i had fibromyalgia like she has, i saw a recent performance of her onstage online and it exhausted me watching it. I could even have the energy singing sitting down.
You have no clue what Fibro is about!!! Fibromyalgia patients have good days and bad. It’s a battle everyday.
As a fellow Fibromyalgia sufferer I think your comment is disgusting. We all handle this cruel syndrome the best we can. She has admitted to being fortunate to be able to afford different treatments for herself. She is an ambassador for our cause as folk will listen to someone in the public eye and believe that it’s not ‘all in your head’.
Lady Gaga I salute you with all your trials and tribulations. Thank you giving Fibromyalgia a beautiful face xxx
There are groups to join to discuss Fibromyalgia. My question is; is there a foundation that is soley based on finding a cure for Fibromyalgia? There is a clear correlation between having Fibromyalgia along with other chronic illnesses. We would be taken more seriously if there were a group of doctors that banded together to assure the faces of Fibromyalgia that there is more than prescribing meds.
There are specialists in hospitals still researching but have informed there is never going to be one pill made to make us better or a cure, it’s all about education on managing the symptons we have and living a better life! Makes it feel worse that we are living with this “challenging” condition. ????.
Yes, there are a number of groups who are working to find answers and treatments for chronic illnesses in the neuroimmune sphere. One of the best is the Open Medicine Foundation. They have an excellent email newsletter that communicates their efforts to the public. Another great resource is the blog, Health Rising, which regularly shares the latest research from around the world.
I’m kinda tired of hearing about her connected with fibromyalgia. It makes me feel even more like a pathetic piece of shit because i can not function and am almost to the point of killing myself from the constant illness and agonizing pain.
I can relate. But anti-depressants helped me.
Maybe it is a not so good but good thing she got fibro. I would not wish this upon anybody but maybe now the average person who has it will be viewed as a person with a real disorder and not made up