Lady Gaga praised as she reveals why she never addressed rumours she had a penis

American singer Lady Gaga has opened up about why she never publicly denied rumours that she was a man, saying she didn't see herself as a "victim" of the speculation.

The Joker: Folie a Deux star faced such gossip in the early days of her career and often dodged the question in interviews, choosing instead to avoid making others feel "shame". On What's Next? The Future With Bill Gates, she explained: "When I was in my early 20s there was a rumour that I was a man."

She continued, detailing her global travels and the persistent questioning she faced: "I went all over the world. I travelled for tours and for promoting my records and almost every interview I sat in - there was this imagery on the internet that had been doctored - they were like, 'There's rumors that you're a man. What do you have to say about that?'"

Gaga shared her reasoning behind not addressing the falsehood: "The reason why I didn't answer the question is because I didn't feel like a victim with that lie and I thought: What about a kid who is being accused of that who would think that a public figure like me would feel shame?"

She elaborated on her approach to handling misinformation: "I've been in situations where fixing a rumour was not in the best interest of the well being of other people. In that case, I tried to be thought provoking and disruptive in another way. I tried to use the misinformation to create another disruptive point."

Now 38, the singer-and-actress admits she finds some of the rumours about her "kind of funny". Gaga - birth name Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta - remarked: "I've been used to lies being printed about me since I was 20 years old. I'm a performer. I think it's kind of funny."

Gaga, known for her no-nonsense attitude, famously dismissed speculation about her biological sex in a 2011 CNN interview. Back then, she declared: "Why the hell am I going to waste my time and give a press release about whether or not I have a penis? My fans don't care and neither do I."

The Oscar winning star's solidarity with the trans community and decision not to address rumours about her gender identity has been praised by her fans on social media. "Trans solidarity from the literal first steps of her career she is mother for real god I love you lady gaga," one wrote on Twitter (X) on Thursday, with another adding: "Gaga has supported trans rights since the beginning. I will never stop being in love with this woman."

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