Ready to Bare : Queer Culture, News, Art, Community & Discussion
We saw X-men First Class over the weekend and it inspired us to write this song in parody of Born This Way by Lady Gaga. It’s rough at the moment but if it gets a good response we’ll try to make a full version of the song
Los Angeles held its first annual LGBT Heritage Month event Friday, and in addition to speeches from Wanda Sykes, the Reverend Troy Perry, and Chad Griffin of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, a surprise performance of “Born This Way” took place on the south lawn of City Hall.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa gave a speech (see below) in which he quoted the lyrics to Lady Gaga’s hit song. Then two dancers jumped onto the stage — one in a suit — before a group of about 15 people began dancing in front of the stage.
In honor of Friday’s event, the city council passed numerous resolutions in support of state and national pro-gay laws:
• Senate Joint Resolution No. 2: Urges the President, Congress, and Secretary of Defense policy requiring service members discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” to repay the costs of their military education and training
• Federal legislative action to grant Joseph Sekajugo Bokombe, a gay man from Uganda, a visa extension and possible permanent residency so that he not be sent back to Uganda where he faces the threat of violence because of his sexual orientation
• AB 887: Amends state law to specifically enumerate protections based on gender identification and gender expression protections
• SB 117: Prohibits state agencies from entering into a contract of $100,000 or more with businesses that discriminate based on sexual orientation in providing employee benefits
• SB 747: Requires state regulatory boards that license or certify health care personnel to mandate a continuing education course in LGBT cultural competency in heath care
• AB 9: Requires California schools to report to law enforcement instances of the bullying of students
• AB 620: Requires California Community Colleges, California State University and the University of California to train faculty and staff on LGBT issues, provide services to address LGBT student needs, and add sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression to campus anti-discrimination policies
• SB 416: Adds questions regarding sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, domestic partnership status, and gender of a spouse to voluntary demographic information collected in California statewide surveys
• SB 182: Adds gender identity and sexual orientation questions to the state’s annual Judicial Applicant Data Report for judicial applicants, judicial appointees and nominees, and justices and judges
• SB 48 (FAIR Act): Adds the LGBT community to the list of under-represented groups for inclusion in textbooks and other school instructional materials
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Image by SpreePiX - Berlin via Flickr
I love when it’s reinforced, that indeed, I do have a heart. I just got goose bumps watching this 11 yr young man sing his heart out in the safety of an accepting audience. When Gaga came out with her “Born this Way” song, naysayers were out with there picket signs and bitter words before the record was out for an hour (myself included). I am realizing now, the movement that is happening behind the song. Whether you like Gaga or not doesn’t matter. It is one thing to be told as a queer youth that it is OK to be gay/bi/trans, but giving a creative platform, a stage, gives those words power. Gaga is out there being proactive and creating change. What are you doing? So, turn down your quick-to-judge-toxic-people-reader-meter and embrace the Born this Way movement. √ i like
Jeffrey Sewell singing Lady Gaga’s “Born this way” at Joe’s PubWith Trapper Felides and company: Our Hit Parade in NYC April 27, 2011
Some of the lyrics include:
“I’m sure my critics will say it’s a grotesque display
Well, they can bite me, baby — I perform this way
I might be wearin’ Swiss cheese or maybe covered with bees
It doesn’t mean I’m crazy — I perform this way”
Comedic singer/songwriter “Weird Al” Yankovic will release a single and music video based on Lady Gaga‘s “Born This Way” after initial reports that Gaga rejected a request from Yankovic to parody her song.
Yankovic’s made a name for himself after releasing songs and music videos parodying Queen, Michael Jackson, and Madonna in the 1980’s. For his next album, slated for release this summer, Yankovic planned to release a single and music video based on Gaga’s “Born This Way” titled, “Perform This Way.” The song is a take on her ostentatious presence and outlandish style, on and off stage.
YouTube star Steve Kardynal harasses people on the streets of NYC and posts it on Youtube = instant (short lived) success. This is how you do it people. Drop your agent and publicist and make a spectacle of yourself with raw documented footage.
Accidental Bear 