Lady Gaga has said she hopes that awards shows like the Oscars will do away with “male” and “female” categories in the future, in a move towards being more inclusive.
After winning her first Academy Award for Best Original Song on Sunday night, Gaga spoke to reporters in the press room, where she was asked if she had a message for her LGBTQ+ fans in Sydney who would be attending Mardi Gras.
“One of the hardest things in life is to be brave enough to be yourself,” Gaga said. “I wish to everyone that is going to that celebration to feel a joy inside of them.”
After discussing how much “joy” has helped her in her own life and career, Gaga continued: “I hope that everyone there in Sydney feels so much joy, and celebrates all sexual identities.
“And I also have a true dream in our future, as we evolve as humanity, that these awards shows will not be male and female, but that we include everyone.”
Her comments were met with applause from reporters in the press room, as well as collaborator Mark Ronson, who also picked up his first Academy Award on Sunday for his contributions to the A Star Is Born cut Shallow.
While awards shows like the Baftas and Golden Globes still divide its acting prizes depending on the nominees’ gender, in 2017, MTV announced that they’d be axing the gendered categories at their annual Movie Awards, a move which they’ve since applied to their other awards shows.
In addition to her Best Original Song recognition, Gaga was nominated in the category of Best Actress, but lost out to Olivia Colman, who won over the Academy with her portrayal of Queen Anne in The Favourite.
She also delivered one of the stand-out performances of the night when she and Bradley Cooper performed an intimate version of Shallow during the ceremony.