Lady Gaga Stands Up for Dylan Mulvaney and the Trans Community Amid Online Hatred
Lady Gaga is standing up for trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney and the transgender community after a recent post sparked intense online hate. In an Instagram shared this afternoon, the pop star said it’s “appalling” that Mulvaney’s photos celebrating International Women’s Day were “met with such vitriol.”
On top of that, she said it’s not enough to call the animosity spewed toward trans women, and all trans people, “backlash”—it’s hatred, and it should not be tolerated. “I feel it is important to clarify that hatred is hatred, and this kind of hatred is violence,” Gaga wrote.
She added later, “I hope all women will come together to honor us ALL for International Women’s Day, and may we do that always until THE DAY that all women are celebrated equally. That all people are celebrated equally. A day where people of all gender identities are celebrated on whichever holiday speaks to them. Because people of all gender identities and races deserve peace and dignity.”
Gaga’s comments come at a time when trans life is in danger, as anti-trans bills continue to rise in states across the U.S., and gender-affirming health care providers are under threat. The majority of trans youth in middle and high school also report getting bullied online or in person. In her caption, the singer pointed out trans people’s “endless grace and inspiration in the face of constant degradation, intolerance, and physical, verbal, and mental violence.”
She later added that she hopes “all women will come together to honor us ALL for International Women’s Day, and may we do that always until THE DAY that all women are celebrated equally. That all people are celebrated equally. A day where people of all gender identities are celebrated on whichever holiday speaks to them. Because people of all gender identities and races deserve peace and dignity.”
Read her full post below:
It’s appalling to me that a post about National Women’s Day by Dylan Mulvaney and me would be met with such vitriol and hatred. When I see a newspaper reporting on hatred but calling it “backlash” I feel it is important to clarify that hatred is hatred, and this kind of hatred is violence. “Backlash” would imply that people who love or respect Dylan and me didn’t like something we did. This is not backlash. This is hatred.
But it is not surprising given the immense work that it’s obvious we still have to do as a society to make room for transgender lives to be cherished and upheld by all of us. I feel very protective in this moment, not only of Dylan, but of the trans community who continues to lead the way with their endless grace and inspiration in the face of constant degradation, intolerance, and physical, verbal, and mental violence. I certainly do not speak for this community, but I have something to say. I hope all women will come together to honor us ALL for International Women’s Day, and may we do that always until THE DAY that all women are celebrated equally. That all people are celebrated equally. A day where people of all gender identities are celebrated on whichever holiday speaks to them. Because people of all gender identities and races deserve peace and dignity.
May we all come together and be loving, accepting, warm, welcoming. May we all stand and honor the complexity and challenge of trans life—that we do not know, but can seek to understand and have compassion for. I love people too much to allow hatred to be referred to as “backlash.” People deserve better.
Mulvaney responded by sharing the post on her Instagram Story shortly after, pointing to Gaga’s heartfelt caption.
Mulvaney previously talked to ELLE.com about transitioning and how her wardrobe, which has earned her a vast online following, has reflected her journey. She also shared how allies can be supportive during the process.
“For a while, I was dressing like a toddler, because as I’m transitioning, I’ve been in that girlhood stage. Now, I see myself evolving into this woman—finding classier clothes or feeling like I can wear a power suit and still feel feminine,” she said.
“As much as womanhood isn’t about the external, it helps a lot, especially while being newly trans,” Mulvaney continued. “So to our allies: Give us a little time. It’s easy to cast judgment on someone, but we are thrown into a world we don’t know yet. Grant us grace when it comes to figuring out our style, who we are, and who we want to be perceived as. Make sure we’ve got the resources we need.”