Lady Gaga.    

If you know me, you’ll know I like to try new things. (Not like that. Rude.) In the past year I’ve dabbled in drag, photography, copywriting, modeling and styling. I picked an unfortunate year in which to graduate, slap bang in the middle of the recession and as such I’ve been interning in various places both in my adopted home town of Leeds and in London.

It’s had its ups (Davina McCall opened a door for me and I saw Peter Andre’s willy) and it’s downs (5am starts and not being in a waged job for four months), but if it taught me anything it’s that you have to take opportunities, have adventures and, well, say yes. (Again, not like that. Perv.)

 
So when my favourite lesbian Ema asked me to DJ at her club night Sapphic Traffic, which was holding a Lady Gaga party, I jumped at the chance. The party, named “God hates fun: The Gaga party” invited queers and their friends to dress up as Lady Gaga, the most convincing being able to claim her lost handbag, containing loads of Gaga accessories and a bottle of vodka. Amazing. Ema has run Sapphic Traffic as a ‘queer alternative’ to the Leeds gay scene for over a year now, and if you haven’t been you’re missing out.

Held in a rundown community centre near the Corn Exchange, where everyone who goes chips in with half an hour behind the bar or on the door, Sapphic Traffic can be a shock to the system if you’re used to bouncers and paying £4 for a beer. It’s a refreshing change where egos are left at the door and everyone is truly equal. If Back Door Disco is Smirnoff and Coke, Sapphic Traffic is Vodkat and semi-flat no-frills lemonade, and if that puts you off, it’s probably not for you. But if you give it a try, I promise you that at some point you’ll find yourself surrounded by the nicest, most carefree gays in Leeds dancing to Mis-teeq having one of the best nights of your life.
I found the concept of a Lady Gaga party particularly interesting, and it’s certainly nothing new. In fact, it seems the whole world is one big Lady Gaga party nowadays. Lady Gaga’s extreme fashion choices and her audacity in the face of ridicule has encouraged people to explore new realms of creativity and visual language. In the same way that Madonna was the most extreme version of sexual liberation in 1980s pop culture, and in the same way that Marilyn Manson was the most extreme version of neglected American teens, Lady Gaga is the most extreme example of an idealistic post-modern liberal culture where you can dress how you want, sleep with who you want and pick your gender to match your outfit.

 
As I looked around the Sapphic Traffic party I saw an inspiring array of costumes, from men in corsets and heels, to butch lesbians, and drunks in far too many bin bags. Even on the ‘regular’ gay scene (and indeed the straight scene) I notice a lot more experimentation (not only in terms of fashion) than before, and it begs the question - did it take Lady Gaga for these people to be themselves?

 
Leeds has always been a visual city, and as such I’m sure many Sapphic Traffic club goers would disregard my question as ignorant to the creative culture in which nights like it are born. Should we then, invert the question - did culture create Lady Gaga as the figurehead for a new liberal generation?

Artists like Lady Gaga, Madonna and Marilyn Manson are fictions and involve role play and characters. We adopt these characters for our own benefit from time to time, be it to shock, for confidence, or even simply for fancy dress. I’ve written before about my time as a drag queen, and how the defiantly over-the-top, in-your-face nature of it makes us (the gay community) visible. Adopting the roles of these musicians achieves the same thing.

Whilst it was fun imitating Lady Gaga, and she’s certainly extended the barriers of what’s deemed ‘acceptable’ in society, I hope that she inspires bravery in people to have the self belief and conviction to be true to ourselves and our sexuality every day.

Looking around at the little monsters on Saturday night, I think she may have done just that.

PS – DJ-ing was well fun! Anyone wanna give me some proper lessons?
PPS – I'm looking for members of the Leeds Trans/T-Girl community who need a fashion makeover for a new project. If you want to learn how to dress on trend, for your shape and style for your next big night out, please get in touch!

Martin Carter