Would Grace Jones count? She was mentioned in the OP.
Usually the first female singer who’s androgynous that comes to mind for me is k. d. lang.
I honestly think it’s because she plans to drop all this fembot crap sometime in the future. Anyone that’s seen video of her performing before she became “Lady Gaga” will tell you that she had some real raw talent. Without the theatrics and the makeup, she still would have been a star.
So I’m convinced that she’s just trying to get more and more outrageous until one day she pulls a Madonna and just walks on stage as herself.
The only other explanation is that she’s a moron who doesn’t what the word androgynous actually means. Because I’ve seen candid pictures of her in Rolling Stone and there’s nothing androgynous at all about her. She’s a very pretty woman and she comes across as too self aware in interviews not to know that.
k.d. lang?
I’m dating myself, I know.
>.>
While very, very rare, human hermaphrodites do exist. But far, far more common are other forms of intersexuality, such as the mentioned AIS.
Now that really would be hermaphroditic.
I think it’s only hermaphroditic if you can go fuck yourself.
Her supersized green shoulderpad getup that she wore at the Grammys really reminded me of none other than Marilyn Manson, who’s got the androgynous thing going a lot of the time.
I like her well enough, but David Bowie she aint (yet). Unless by androgynous she mean’s “woman with face of man”. It also strikes me as a strange way to classify herself when her videos’ themes portray her in very feminine roles(in "Paparazzi she’s a woman taking revenge on the lover that tried to kill her and “Bad Romance” shows her as a victim / sex slave).
Then again, she likened her singing to Freddy Mercury (thus the name "Gaga) so she may have a slightly different perception of herself than what I see.
She’s a singer? I did not know that.
I think she uses the term ‘androgynous’ because David Bowie is her idol, and that word is synonymous with Bowie.
IIRC, she did take an active part in spreading false rumors that she had a dong for the sake of stoking some publicity fires. I think it was through some statements she made via Twitter.
No, she made some semi-ironic/sarcastic comments in response to the increasing question she kept getting asked - even if it were true and she made a formal denial - it wouldn’t stop the rumours, so she can’t win -
Even if she were intersex, and she didn’t want to “come out” as such, then it’s none of our business - and she’e entitled to keep it that way.
Ah, that makes more sense. My memory is a big foggy on it because I don’t generally care about pop culture. The only reason I remember hearing about it at all was due to something I came across via PFLAG.
Oh noes! Her panties are bulging out almost like she has a vulva with public hair. Why, she must have a cock!
I went to her concert and was about 5 feet from her. Gaga is not a fan of pants, so I I got some good glances at her nether regions. I would be willing to bet my life that she is in fact a she.
As far as the androgynous thing- I think she intentionally uglies herself up and does play around with the idea of gender. Sometimes she does totally dress in ways that are traditionally unfeminine- but she’ll have feminine makeup or hair. Like this. Or sometimes she’ll be naked with her ass out, but just have absolutely terrible looking, unflattering, unfeminine makeup and hair. Like on Oprah. or in Bad Romance.
Traditionally, women are expected to want to be small, but she does all kinds of things to distort her body to make it bigger- something traditionally masculine. The shoulder pads above, or like at the concert I went to where she wore what is basically. . . a big crow suit.
Strictly speaking, is that androgyny? I’d say so. She plays around with the ideas we have about whats masculine and whats feminine- all at the same time.
NO the “speculation” started way before that footage.
It goes back at least to a comment by Christina Agiluera . Which appears to have been stupidly blown all out of proportion.
Also, to everyone saying she’s ugly- I suppose to each their own and all, but I really think we need to recognize that she entirely controls that image.
This is her on MTV’s Boiling Point prior to fame (Ponytail and black shirt). She’s a normal looking, pretty Italian girl.
When she looks ugly, it’s just part of the gimmick. This picture? Clearly distorted by the photographer and makeup to make her look uglier. Trust me to say- as someone that spent 2hours in front of her- that she really is a beautiful woman- not traditional waspy sexy good looks beautiful- but uniquely gorgeous. Why would they intentionally ugly her up like that? I dunno, I’m sure if you asked her, she’d say it has something to do with art.
Without paying any attention whatsoever to Lady Gaga, only hearing references to her and maybe seeing a few clips on entertainment shows and Web sites, I always thought that she was a drag queen (male dressed up to look like a very flamboyant style of woman). I only learned a few weeks ago that she is female. I’d say she is definitely promoting an androgynous image, since to the casual observer she presents as possibly male.
In the picture linked above by DiosaBellissima, she looks male (like a male drag queen) to me. Images like that one formed my impression of her as male.