Lady Gaga has elaborated on the “boys club” culture which effectively permitted harassment at the start of her music career, telling The Hollywood Reporter‘s annual actress roundtable that she hopes for more equitable conditions for women in the entertainment industry.
[jwplayer uAbhpWFB]
Along with Rachel Weisz, Glenn Close, Nicole Kidman, Regina King, and Kathryn Hahn, Gaga was asked to discuss a time where she wished she had “spoken up” about an issue she faced in her career.
After Close disclosed an incident when a male co-star placed his hand on her thigh, and a group discussion about not merely being grateful for the acting roles they are offered, Gaga said “when I was around 19, it was the rule, not the exception, that you would walk into a recording studio and be harassed.”
The A Star Is Born lead said she did disclose her assault, and wishes she had done so earlier, but said the male powerbrokers surrounding her effectively closed ranks when the allegation was raised.
“Nobody wants to lose their power, so they don’t protect you because if they say something, it takes some of their power away,” Gaga said.
Gaga said she hopes discussions about equal billing and equal pay between female leads and their male co-stars will foster an environment where women in the industry can more easily seek justice.
The first-time actress recently outlined her experience as a survivor of sexual assault at an October awards night, saying that when she raised her story with “very powerful men in this industry, nobody helped me.”
You can read the full roundtable discussion HERE.
This article discusses sexual assault. If you would like to talk to a counsellor about rape, sexual assault or domestic violence, give the people over at 1800 RESPECT a call on 1800 737 732.
