Last night, Lady Gaga performed "Til it Happens to You," her beautiful song from the documentary The Hunting Ground, which explores sexual abuse on college campuses. Towards the end of the performance, Lady Gaga was joined on stage with 50 college students (women and men) who have experienced sexual assault. Vice President Joe Biden introduced Gaga by talking about the White House's It's On Us campaign, which raises awareness about sexual assault.
Of course, her performance was covered by tons of news sites with overwhelming positivity. Because Lady Gaga herself is a survivor of sexual assault and is in a position of power as a popular celebrity, she was able to raise awareness through a stunning performance. Because it was so impactful, news sources covered the story last night and today, which continued to bring coverage to the issue of sexual assault. The performance allowed viewers to focus on this huge issue that affects both women and men, for at least a few minutes.
I think its great when celebrities use their status to bring awareness to things like sexual assault. Especially in Lady Gaga's case. She has the lived experience of sexual assault and can be a very real life example of overcoming such a horrible thing. Getting a conversation going and bringing awareness is one step closer to stopping these horrible events.
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