Recently the country has turned mournful eyes on Buffalo as news of Jamey Rodemeyer’s suicide spread to national news.
Among those taking note of the loss is Lady Gaga.
At her iHeartRadio performance in Los Vegas she dedicated her song Hair to Jamey who had been a fan of her work.
“Tonight, Jamey, I know you’re up there looking down on us and you’re not a victim, you’re a lesson to all of us.”
Before taking his own life, Jamey had tweeted about Gaga thanking her for supporting him while he was dealing with the hatred and bullying he endured from his classmates.
Lady Gaga had always referred to her fans as her “Little Monsters”, a term she applied out of love and understanding.
At other times Gaga had shared her personal experiences with being bullied while in school, which I tended to disregard with the rationalization that most everyone who attends public schools undergoes some form of bullying.
It wasn’t until this tragedy that I realized how dedicated to her fans Gaga is and how deeply this affected her.
At the concert she said, “I know it’s a bit of a downer but sometimes the right thing is more important than the music isn’t it.”
Gaga has also announced that she will be taking this matter to Obama in an effort to make bullying illegal.
I found this interesting since the last time I remembered Gaga mentioning Obama was when she made a speech at a Gay Rights rally on Oct. 11, 2009 in Washington where she shouted, “Obama, I know that you’re listening. Are you listening?!”
Gaga has always been an open supporter of the LGBT community, so I guess it shouldn’t have been a surprise to hear she had taken this to heart.
Something about the intense anger she felt about the situation made me really believe that she sees her fans as more than dollar signs.
Jamey was one of many who have been tormented both in school and over social networking sites. In a video post he mentions going to the Monster Ball and how he felt liberated.
One of Jamey’s final messages to others is simple “Just love yourself and you’re set.”
Jamey loved Lady Gaga for giving him the courage and support he needed, but unfortunately that wasn’t enough to save his life.
The haunting image of Jamey’s “Paws up forever” sign and his tear-filled videos are all that the public has left of him.
I can honestly say that I have a new-found respect for Lady Gaga.
As we enter the beginning of October, LGBT History Month in the US, and as we approach National Coming Out day on the 11th, my hope is that we will all remember what has happened.
Jennifer Waters can be reached by email at waters.record@live.com.