In honour of Lady Gaga’s birthday [March 28], instead of waxing on about her meteoric rise to the top of the world of pop music and performance art, we think she would rather we focus on the charitable foundation and social movement she created, The Born This Way Foundation.
The Foundation of a Future Foundation
As an artistic teenager growing up in New York and attending The Convent of The Sacred Heart school, Stefani Germanotta has said “I used to get made fun of for being either too provocative or too eccentric, so I started to tone it down. I didn’t fit in, and I felt like a freak.”
[Photos: Gaga in concert]
It is that feeling of empathy towards young people who are bullied for being different that led Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, to create The Born This Way Foundation, an anti-bullying movement and charitable foundation, whose mission is stated on their website: to foster a more accepting society, where differences are embraced …
The website goes on to say: “We believe that everyone has the right to feel safe, to be empowered and to make a difference in the world. Together, we will move towards acceptance, bravery and love”.
It’s this message that has been the basis of Lady Gaga’s persona and has been the impetus for the creation of Born This Way to combat intolerance of all kinds.
The Born This Way Foundation takes a 3 Pillars approach to the issue:
SAFETY – Create a Safe Place to Celebrate Individuality
When provided with a safe environment, young people are able to explore themselves. So, we’ll provide you support through an online community that engages users in ways that celebrate their individuality.
SKILLS – teaching advocacy, promoting civic engagement, and encouraging self-expression
It’s not enough to simply tell you about the importance of making a change. We’re going to provide you with the skills, tools, and resources you need to feel empowered and lead.
OPPORTUNITY – providing ways to implement solutions and impact local communities
Our organization is only as strong as supporters like you. That’s why we’ll be providing opportunities for you to bring the work we are doing to your local communities. You will be able to lead the charge in impacting your surroundings.
To download a copy of the 3 Pillars click here.
Or click on this pdf file: BornThisWayFoundation3Pillars.pdf
Watch Gaga talking with Oprah Winfrey at the Foundation’s launch event at Harvard University about the 3 Pillars:
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Of course, at Different Is Cool, we have an aligned vision of acceptance, so we give a huge salute to a celebrity who is using their life to be a force of good. Please visit The Born This Way Foundation for more information.
Lady Gaga performs “Born This Way”, her anthem to self-acceptance, at the Grammy Awards:
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