Lana and the LGBTQ+ Issue...

[WorstAmericanRecord 232]

I was watching Lana's most recent interview (https://youtu.be/B3ezfOlDajM?t=68), and she was asked about why she believes her music connects with her fan base. She focused her response on her connection with young women, and I found it odd and sort of dismissive. Like many female celebrities, Lana's career has been supported by a diverse fan base but especially the LGBTQ+ community. Gay men/queer-identifying folks in particular have been some of her most vocal (and rabid) supporters, but it seems that there have been multiple instances wherein she has defined her "fans" as young (white) girls.

 

I know there's a select few male fans she always takes pics and has a special connection with, but in general it seems as if she wants to depict her supporters as one type of group, and it makes me feel a little icky. 

 

What do you guys think?

*Obviously, if I watch/read her interviews and am on this forum, I am a HUGE fan and love her, so don't read this as hate.

[PARADIXO 33,092]

I honestly have no idea why she's scared to make that move, I mean, I don't need her to be an activist, but still...

 

She did mention her gay fans though. She once said a reason why they probably connect to her music is because they're vulnerable beings (obviously she didn't mean as they are vulnerable themselves, but in society) so they understand the deepness and loneliness of her music. Also she obviously loves her gay fans, and even posted a pic of the gayest queens in San Francisco once She's obviously supportive, but not very vocal, I'd like to know why! It will happen someday I'm sure

[lesterdelrey 146]

Wasn't there an interview where she was asked about her gay fans somewhere?

[WorstAmericanRecord 232]

I honestly have no idea why she's scared to make that move, I mean, I don't need her to be an activist, but still...

 

She did mention her gay fans though. She once said a reason why they probably connect to her music is because they're vulnerable beings (obviously she didn't mean as they are vulnerable themselves, but in society) so they understand the deepness and loneliness of her music. Also she obviously loves her gay fans, and even posted a pic of the gayest queens in San Francisco once She's obviously supportive, but not very vocal, I'd like to know why! It will happen someday I'm sure

Reading that she said that really made me feel butterflies. I know she isn't that interested in social issues, but I wish she would at least acknowledge us a BIT more often.

 

She's wise in that she does not want to alienate anyone and she feels she'll be crucified for her thoughts (the public has been cruel enough to her). But I think, for an artist that has taken it upon herself to create works that reflect that state of the country, I don't she how she can be so publicly subtle and nonchalant about the social politics that serve as a backdrop to her work.

 

I definitely don't want her to position herself as the Next Best American Ally or anything (ESPECIALLY not in the music), but I'd like a little more from her when it comes to how she thinks/takes about her fans. We gays worship her, and in many fan bases, they get either ignored entirely or used as props in a way...

Wasn't there an interview where she was asked about her gay fans somewhere?

No idea. I think I've read/watched all of them, but I can't be sure.

[PARADIXO 33,092]

the public has been cruel enough to her

 

I think it's definitely that. She's heavily traumatized from what's happened to her in her early years.

[lesterdelrey 146]

https://youtu.be/vwIaG5sRyrE?t=3651

 

around 1:00:55, its what PARADIXO described 

[American Whore 51,677]

I’m going full on rant mode and I’m not sorry about it but here’s my argument:

 

Why is this even an “issue”? She’s aware of the gayness of her fans and I don’t think she gives a single fuck. I don’t think she cares whether you’re gay, white, black, male, female, whatever you may be. These posts make me so mad bc people try to put words into her mouth because she might say her fans might be young females so then automatically someone HAS to say “Oh she didn’t point me out because I’m gay!! She now must hate us gays!!”

 

No she just simply doesn’t feel the need to single out gay people. She’s aware, she knows you’re there and she knows there’s no need to run around screaming about it. It’s like the fact that I wish “coming out” didn’t have to be a thing because sexuality shouldn’t be a big deal where we have to tell everyone about it. Why??? Why single people out who are just people by making them conform to a label? To me, making a big deal out of my sexuality is a problem. I don’t want people thinking of me as just their “bi friend” or whatever. No I’m not that. I’m much more than that. And for her to say “Most of my fans are gay guys” would personally make me more angry because I’m not just some “gay stan.”

 

I think as I got older I’ve realized that about Gaga, she opted to try to include gays but then it almost went too far as to selling her music and herself to them for financial gain. And that’s not okay with me. “Oh I accept all gays(‘ money!!!!)” and that bothers the absolute shit out of me. Don’t get me wrong, shes done fundraising stuff and pushed for gay rights and gay acceptance but come on... I don’t want to be exploited for money as a fan of ANY artist.

 

At the end of the day, it’s a business. Just like Trump, Lana didn’t talk about it for a while bc politics + business = more problems. What we’ve learned about Lana is that she’s just here for the music. If all her gay fans disappeared, she’d still make music. If all her female fans disappeared, she’d still make music. No matter what, she’s a musician at heart.

 

Do we need to remind everyone of her performance in December at the ALLY Coalition thing?

[Ultra Violet 19,040]

I think she totally missed the point when she said her huge fanbase comes from the connection she has to her young female fans. That's not even half the truth. And she barely interacts with her fans when compared to a lot of other singers- most even.

[LanaCharts 1,980]

Confirmed: She hates us

[knives 2,524]

i dont think lana wants to give specific shout-outs to her gay fanbase bc it seems like pandering to them. ik marina has said something along these lines too when asked abt her gay fanbase. lana undoubtedly knows her demographic, but she's probably afraid of how a public statement be perceived? i mean, its not like every chance lana gets she gives shout-outs to her fanbase of white teenage girls; pandering to her fanbase is just not her style (i mean we dont even have a fucking fandom name lmao). this type of thing is a "damn if you do, damned if you don't" situation imo

 

I think as I got older I’ve realized that about Gaga, she opted to try to include gays but then it almost went too far as to selling her music and herself to them for financial gain. And that’s not okay with me. “Oh I accept all gays(‘ money!!!!)” and that bothers the absolute shit out of me. Don’t get me wrong, shes done fundraising stuff and pushed for gay rights and gay acceptance but come on... I don’t want to be exploited for money as a fan of ANY artist.

 

on another note, personally i dont think gaga exploits her gay fans for financial gain..she's an openly bisexual woman and she's a part of this community. as a queer woman i, too, would love to incorporate my community (lesbian, trans, gay, anyone lgbt+) into my work and use my artistry to lift them up. like u said, she's done a lot for the community so honestly i think that alone counteracts what you perceive as exploitation, along with her being bi, but i can understand ur skepticism when it comes to celebs exploiting lgbt people. it's been done before, it's being done right now, and it'll be done in the future. it's something we're all unfortunately a bit too familiar with 

(im a bit confused as to what you were trying to say, so sorry if this response doesn't make sense/doesn't apply)

[Foxglove 2,266]

i mean.... sis goes to church. what do yall expect fr

[YUNGATA 14,955]

This might be an unpopular take but... I actually feel like on the whole women have been pushed out many pop spaces (esp alt pop) despite being the main cohort who have historically (and contemporarily) supported the pop music industry and its artists. Sometimes I feel like women (regardless of sexual orientation) get made fun of for liking the same pop music that gay men do because it's "basic" when we like it or whatever. At a gathering recently a friend of a friend told me Charli XCX is "for gay men only" and while he sort of meant it as a joke I felt like it was quite revealing of the kind of culture women in pop spaces experience. I've heard similar sentiments from PC music fans too. While many current pop acts undeniably have huge gay male fanbases, I don't think that should be at the cost of women getting to enjoy those spaces too. I guess it just frustrates me a bit because pop music has traditionally been marketed towards women, who became the butt of jokes about it being lowbrow, only for it to be later claimed by gay culture and then become way less lowbrow and way more cool. Basically misogyny in pop is wearing me down

[Valerie 1,379]

Don't see where the problem is. She has said many times before she loves her LGBKGJTKQ fans. Even back in 2008 when nobody knew her she went to a lgbtq parade and tweeted many times about loving them. She also interacts heavily with her fans, taking selfies, signing autographs, hugging and kissing them and all that. She is very supportive of all her fans. She doesn't have to blurt every 5 seconds "I love my gays!" for people to be satisfied. There isn't anything else she can say or do. What more do you want from her? To visit her LGBTQ fans houses to serenade them to sleep?

[Sugar Venom 9,658]

the biggest act of homophobia was dropping miss blueeyes

[Gone user 5,373]

Don't see where the problem is. She has said many times before she loves her LGBKGJTKQ fans. Even back in 2008 when nobody knew her she went to a lgbtq parade and tweeted many times about loving them. She also interacts heavily with her fans, taking selfies, signing autographs, hugging and kissing them and all that. She is very supportive of all her fans. She doesn't have to blurt every 5 seconds "I love my gays!" for people to be satisfied. There isn't anything else she can say or do. What more do you want from her? To visit her LGBTQ fans houses to serenade them to sleep?

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[baddisease 17,953]

Lana Del Rey was the voice of my transition and all the adventures therein, so it'd be nice if she acknowledged her LGBTQ fans more.

[evilentity 13,351]

This is straight male erasure tbh

[Ultra Violet 19,040]

I think it's definitely that. She's heavily traumatized from what's happened to her in her early years.

 

Yeah that does come through. Even when she's trying to get political, she basically just whispers her answers to those questions and can't answer with a firm "this is what I believe/what I'm fighting for", like she wants to remain ambiguous but with little hints of giving a fuck. 

I sometimes give her shit for not standing her ground but it probably is that trauma.

[renaissance 8,330]

Who cares lol? We know we are gay she knows we are she loves her fans a lot and that's the end of the story. Why does she have to be a full blown activist and talk about it every 5 seconds just to make some gays feel seen??? Ugh gays are the first people to be like "don't make everything about my sexuality I'm more than that1!!!!1!11!" but then pull shit like this and throw a tantrum when people don't see their sexuality as the first/most important thing about them. Tbh just shut the fuck up and enjoy the music

[Ryusei 5,071]

Also though media always assumes (for some reason) that everyone's fanbase is "young females" like in lady gaga's 73 questions vogue interview she was asked what she would say to her "young female fans" and I was like ???? cause Gaga for sure has more 20s and late teens fans and a whole lot of gay male fans and other people under the LGBT+ umbrella than "young girls". Some people get asked about their gay fans nowadays (CRJ, Charli) but it seems like Lana isnt one of them... I remember the one radio host asking her about gay fans and all that but that's about it. I don't really see much of an issue with her not being "I LOVE GAAAAAYYYYYYYSSSSSSSS" every concert but yeah I can also understand fans wanting validation from someone they support so much.