Singer Lady Gaga has recorded a video
message for teen Jacques St. Pierre encouraging his school's
anti-bullying efforts, The Star reported.
In August, the grade 12 students at
Etobicoke School of the Arts in Toronto contacted several celebrities
– including Lady Gaga, talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, singer Katy
Perry and Project Runway judge Tim Gunn – to let them know
about their ongoing efforts to end bullying at their school.
Student council president St. Pierre,
17, unveiled the video for the first time since he received it in
October at a school assembly on Friday.
“I just wanted to tell you how proud
I am of you for being such a strong advocate of the LGBT community in
your school,” Lady Gaga says in the short clip. “There should be
more little monsters like you. My father always saves all the fan
letters that I receive and I read yours and wanted to send this video
to you. It is important that we push the boundaries of love and
acceptance.” (The video is embedded in the right panel of this
page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)
“Sometimes schools talk about
bullying but never make changes,” St. Pierre, who describes himself
as a huge Lady Gaga fan, said. “I thought if I could get someone
as influential as Lady Gaga to speak to students, that would make a
change.”
St. Pierre said he had been tormented
in elementary school by students who called him a “fag” because
he was interested in theater.
“When I showed it to the student
council, they all cheered and screamed and freaked out … she's
talking directly to [students],” he said.