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Lady Gaga Makes Oscars History as Bisexual Actress and Singer

Lady Gaga

The out entertainer's nomination is a win for LGBTQ representation at Hollywood's biggest night.

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Lady Gaga has made LGBTQ history at the Oscars.

The entertainer is the first bisexual woman to receive dual nominations in the categories of Best Actress in a Leading Role (Ally in A Star Is Born) and Best Song ("Shallow" in A Star Is Born).

Gaga is the second person to receive nominations in these categories for the same film; the first was Mary J. Blige for 2017's Mudbound.

There have only been a handful of bisexual entertainers nominated in the Best Actress category, and many were not out at the time of their nomination due to the societal stigmas of their eras. These include Angelina Jolie, Katharine Hepburn, Greta Garbo, Janet Gaynor, and Marlene Dietrich.

In fact, if Gaga wins, she would be the first out bisexual actress to triumph in this category. Jolie won Best Supporting Actress in 2000 for Girl, Interrupted, and has been open about her bi identity to media as early as 1997.

Gaga is a top contender for Best Actress, alongside The Wife's Glenn Close. The pair tied in this category at the Critics' Choice Awards last Sunday, leading to some speculation that this rare feat may be repeated at the Academy Awards.

Other contenders include Yalitza Aparicio (Roma), Olivia Colman (The Favourite), and Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?).

Gaga publicly came out as bisexual in a 2009 interview with Barbara Walters. At the time, she revealed that her attraction to women inspired the song "Poker Face." In 2013 she lashed out at critics who continued to question her sexual orientation during an Artpop release party in Berlin.

"You know what? It's not a lie that I am bisexual and I like women, and anyone that wants to twist this into 'she says she's bisexual for marketing,' this is a fucking lie," she told the crowd during a Q&A. "This is who I am and who I have always been."

dnlreynolds
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Daniel Reynolds

Daniel Reynolds is the editor of social media for The Advocate. A native of New Jersey, he writes about entertainment, health, and politics.
Daniel Reynolds is the editor of social media for The Advocate. A native of New Jersey, he writes about entertainment, health, and politics.