A Story about Lady Gaga

"I decided today I wanted to take the power back. Today I wear the pants." -Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga, the American popstar, was just 19 years old when she was repeatedly raped by a man in the entertainment industry who was 20 years older than her. She wishes to not name the person because she doesn't intend to relive that devastating memory.

Gaga didn't tell anyone for 7 years because she didn't know how to accept it or how to not blame herself. She felt insecure about her proactive personality and the way she dressed. Soon, she was diagnosed with PTSD and fibromyalgia, a syndrome that is essentially a cyclone of stress-induced pain. When she started to speak about her experience, it was like a big ugly monster came out; but she had to face that big, ugly monster to heal.

Lady Gaga believes in resisting the norms of Hollywood, resisting the standards of how women should dress to impress just to be equated to “eye candy”. Women in Hollywood aren't objects meant for entertainment, they are human beings who have voices; voices which can no longer be suppressed.

Lady Gaga fortunately had the resources to help herself, but there are many others who don't have access to these resources.

That is why Gaga has advocated making mental health a global priority.

Lady Gaga accepted her pain, took it and put it in a box which now lies buried in a corner of her mind. She's a survivor, she's living, she's thriving and she's stronger than ever. Now, she shares her life experiences and recovery with the world, hoping that someone going through a similar experience would learn the importance of courage from her story.

It's essential that we all walk hand in hand towards unity, justice and a world where no one faces violence that they never deserved.

Written by: Haneen Farid