Most of us know her as Lady Gaga, but her given name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta.

She is the woman who wore a meat dress and then had it displayed in a museum. The woman who wrote the hit “Just Dance” in 10 minutes.
The woman who could play the piano at the age of 4.
The woman who went bankrupt on her Monster Ball tour and then quickly made it all back.
The woman who received an Oscar nomination for her role in “A Star is Born”.
The woman who was the first artist to reach over 1 billion views on YouTube.
The woman who has given us a fresh take on music and style and the human condition. 

Perhaps more important than all that, Lady Gaga is the woman who has given a voice to countless people silenced by society.
She has dedicated her entire working life to abolishing the stigma surrounding mental health.

Through both her music and her Born This Way Foundation, Lady Gaga has over the years created a space of empowerment for all those – all of us – who fight unseen and unacknowledged inner battles at various stages of our lives.

She celebrates diversity, acceptance, tolerance, and kindness, and gives minorities the feeling of belonging to an open, strong, and loving community.

The message in most of Lady Gaga's songs and her visual expressions is also about accepting and loving yourself – regardless of your race, gender, or sexual preferences.

About the iconic “Born This Way” song, Lady Gaga said:

The nexus of 'Born This Way' and the soul of the record reside in this idea that you were not necessarily born in one moment.

You have your entire life to birth yourself into becoming the ultimate potential vision that you see for yourself.

Who you are when you come out of your mother's womb is not necessarily who you will become.

'Born This Way' says your birth is not finite, your birth is infinite.

I am my own sanctuary, and I can be reborn as many times as I choose throughout my life.

No matter how much success you have, no matter how many opportunities, fame, fortune, no matter how many people accept you to your face – the person that really needs to accept you is you.

OPENNESS IS THE WAY TO HEALING

Lady Gaga also talks openly about her struggles, particularly her mission to remove the taboo and raise awareness about often imperceptible illnesses, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, and chronic pain.

I get so irritated with people who don’t believe fibromyalgia is real (...). People need to be more compassionate.

Chronic pain is no joke. And it’s every day waking up not knowing how you’re going to feel.

I use the word ‘suffer’ not for pity, or attention, and have been disappointed to see people online suggest I am being dramatic, making this up, or playing the victim to get out of touring.

I use the word not only because trauma and chronic pain have changed my life, but because they are keeping me from living my normal life.

On a personal note, there isn't a single difficult period in my life through which Lady Gaga's music hasn't carried me!

This here is my tribute to Lady Gaga.
My small show of appreciation for her bravery, for daring to discuss difficult subjects openly, subjects which to many remain taboo.