Singer Lady Gaga says Malaysians should
protest censorship of her gay anthem Born This Way.
Malaysian radio stations have garbled
Lady Gaga singing, “No matter gay,
straight or bi, lesbian, transgendered life, I'm on the right track,
baby.”
In a
statement released last week, the country's top private operator AMP
Radio Networks suggested the lyrics might be offensive to Malaysians.
“The
particular lyrics in Born This Way
may be considered offensive when viewed against Malaysia's social and
religious observances,” the company said.
“The issue of
being gay, lesbian or [bisexual] is still considered as a 'taboo' by
general Malaysians.”
During a visit
Tuesday to Google headquarters in California, the rocker criticized
the move and called on her Malaysian fans to protest.
“Well, obviously
I disagree with it, otherwise I wouldn't have specifically put those
words in a song I knew would be put on top [inaudible] radio,” she
said in answering a fan's question.
“For all the
young people in Malaysia that want those words to be played on the
radio, it is your job and it is your duty as young people to have
your voices heard.”
“You must do
everything that you can if you want to be liberated by your society.
You must call, you must not stop, you must protest peaceably, no
violence, I don't believe in negativity. There's no reason to be
derogatory. You just have to keep fighting for what you believe in,”
she added. (The video is embedded in the right panel of this page.)
Broadcasters face
fines and other penalties for breaking government censorship rules
that strictly prohibit the promotion of being gay.