Lady Gaga and her use of Catholic and nun imagery

Well – mainstream media has ALWAYS glossed over controversial art and have always placed so much energy into seeing how they can go. We can go back many years ago with the example of Italian actor Rudolph Valentino during the 1920s who starred in movies and was often seen as a sex symbol; Marilyn Monroe who was infamous for her looks and flirtatious personality than her acting; Rock Hudson, a well known actor, who starred in numerous movies and was seen as a “hunky” actor and shocked Hollywood when it was revealed that he not only was a homosexual, but also ended up dying of AIDS; Madonna who has always done a fine job (LOL) testing our shock value with themes in her music and videos. All these celebrities had/have great talent, yet they also know that to sell and perhaps can contribute their popularity, in part, to people like you and me talking about it (regardless of our stance). Another recent and perhaps even more saddening situation was the photos released of Gary Coleman in the hospital, before he died and whether or not that was something that the magazine, Globe, should have even done. Is that respectful of a person in their last moments on this Earth or is that a grave disrespect and insensitivity? What are your thoughts?

I thought the video was tasteless but it had nothing to do with the Catholic and nun imagery. That, in fact, was of no significance to me, a Catholic nun, compared to the rest of its content.

I watched the video after the question was posted and then surfed the web before deciding to answer. I found the interview that Janet was quoting from, but since the director decided to release that statement after the controversy was in full swing, I think it is a bunch of hooy. When interviewed, Lady Gaga (not much of a lady in my opinion) said…”In May 2010, Gaga told The Times about the concept of the video: “[It's about the] purity of my friendships with my gay friends, and how I’ve been unable to find that with a straight man in my life. It’s a celebration and an admiration of gay love—it confesses my envy of the courage and bravery they require to be together. In the video I’m pining for the love of my gay friends—but they just don’t want me to be with them.” Small words…
Whatever…. I think it is that shock sells. She has a great voice with a very different style that makes her stand out. She and Miley Cyrus should have just stuck with that.

a cradle catholic, i’m used to people mocking nuns, misunderstanding nuns, etc. i hate it, but i know what nuns are really like so i don’t much let such things get under my skin. violence, however, especially used in “art,” disturbs me greatly. i know european countries show nudity much more often than american tv and find it acceptable, arguing that the human body is natural and there should be no shame in showing it. despite having mixed feelings on THAT topic, i wonder if europeans step over murdered people in the streets or stand around and shoot camera-phone videos of suicides or men who get caught between subway platforms and trains. we do these things (as a country, not everyone here) and it blows my mind. with real-life emergency room footage on tv and accidents, including fatal ones, uploaded on youtube by the dozens every day, i guess death and suffering don’t bother folks anymore. i’m not squeamish, by any means; blood doesn’t bother me. but seeing someone knock someone else in the head or slam his wife against a wall to create the blood horrifies me. the act of putting one’s hands on someone else in order to harm them is appalling, but even our commercials are violent. our police beat people with little or no provocation. i’d love to find out the difference in reactions to violence according to generation. i’d bet twenty-somethings don’t blink at things that would make me (47) cringe, gasp, or cry.

sorry. i talk too much. i am a pacifist and i cannot begin to grasp the reason people everywhere aren’t horrified all the time. maybe if we were more outraged, and more vocal, some respect for human life would return in our society.

i haven’t watched the video. i tried, but ten minutes of that is too much. but maybe if she feels either repressed sexually or violent sexually, she feels she can’t be sexual without punishment. guilt over sexual issues has created a masochist or two in our society.

~E, I find your interpretation to be very insightful and helpful – thank you! I think you are spot-on in commenting that this video uses contrasts; it is so true right down to the black and white color scheme.

I think you did a lovely job of exploring the images of violence. I would add that Lady Gaga seems to be juxtaposing traditionally masculine and feminine imagery in unusual ways. She has men wearing fish net stockings and high heels, whereas she smokes a pipe. I think you picked-up on this in her gun bra in which the phallic nature of the guns contrasts with her feminine breasts. Also, the crosses on her white habit are shaped like swords, and therefore have a similar effect as the bra. I also wonfer if the “man who appears to be a puppet dressed in nothing but a speedo like bottoms and holds onto a gold gun facing his anatomy” is meant to be an image of castration.

I also wondered if she used religious contrasts because in addition to using many images of the cross, there also appears to be an image that is very similar to the Star of David, and it is prominately featured in the beginning of the video.

I do maintain that I do not think she uses nun imagery in a positive way, though. In the earliest images of Lady Gaga, her eyes are covered, whether by a veil of goggles (which are also worn by some of the Nazi-like officers). When combined with the image of her sitting in a dreary mansion, this seems to suggest that she is somehow removed from the world, not fully alive in it, and even suggests that she is controlling/domineering.

I agree with your assertion that she contrasts the two nuns, but I would hardly call a nun in a red habit humble. In fact, the way the scenes shift from the nun to images of a woman being sexually domineering seems to imply that these bed scenes are a fantasy of said nun. Whereas the nun in the white habit is tossed around by a group of men who seem to be sexually dominate towards her.

I actually wonder how much of this she consciously meant to convey…

Sister Alison – first and foremost, thank you for your response and taking the time to actually see where I was coming from! Secondly, I did not properly project what I meant w’ the humble statement. What I meant to relay was that when I think of a nun and when I picture a nun through my upbringing within the Catholic church as well as through adult academic and spiritual research and reflection, I have always viewed a true nun as being a woman who may represent being a lil’ or a lot humble in the sense that she lives a simple life, not one who is typically thought to be arrogant and full of herself, but instead interested in helping others and putting others needs above her own. Perhaps I used to wrong word and for that I apologize, but I concur 100% on the images of the bed and nun in the white habit – it is truly an example of sexual dominance vs. sexual submission and believe it adds 10x sparks and controversial when involving the images of a “nun” even though we all know that Lady Gaga does not particularly fit the bill.

I would honestly love to hear her feedback on that which we have communicated on this post. I know that it would fascinating and perhaps enlightening to see if she can see where our comments stem from (our interpretations that is) and perhaps she can provide further insight.

I noticed the Star of David as well and various images, set shapes and dance moves reflect the upside down triangle that is associated with the gay community. I believe that she is trying to represent the frustrations and relationships that a part of that lifestyle, but the use of violence in a venue that is readily available to children is the most disturbing, as Sr. Julie says. I watched a fatal police chase (not realizing that was what it would be) online with adult members of my family and was very upset and crying at the end of the clip. My family members decided I was too sensitive that I let it bother me so. The necessity for shock reflects a society that looks for greater and greater stimulation and is never happy with what they have. The greed that fuels this need is even sadder. Someone like Lady Gaga who holds such an influence over the ears of society should use that captivated audience more intelligently to get her cause’s point across. Even if I don’t agree with her point of view, I would be more likely not to shut off what she was trying to say.

Interesting discussion. The sexual content in the video does not depict violence, it depicts BDSM, which is controlled, consensual, role-playing sex where the “recipient” is in control at all times. It’s not specifically homosexual but it is more prominent in that community. So the message, along with the nun imagery, is of taking back control of her own sexuality and not letting herself be used by men. I think that’s a positive thing.

ironic that Lady Gaga is featured on page 23 of the new Vision Magazine quoted about her Catholic upbringing.