It has been two years since Lady Gaga shared her traumatic experience of being raped at the age of 19. However, it was only last November 25, 2016 during her visit to the Ali Forney Shelter in New York, a homeless shelter for young lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender teenagers, where she shared the detrimental effect of her experience to her health. She admitted of having Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD.
PTSD is a disorder which can occur after experiencing extreme, life-threatening events. One of the most common causes is having been physically or sexually assaulted. It was in 2014 when Lady Gaga first revealed in public that she was a victim of rape. It was also during this year that she made the song "Til It Happens To You" which is about the experience of being sexually abused. The song was nominated in the Oscars and was featured in "The Hunting Ground", a documentary about sexual harassment inside the campus.
Lady Gaga admitted that she has been blaming herself for what happened to her. She kept it to herself for seven years. This must be her deepest, most kept secret. How does she manage her illness? Lady Gaga shared to the young LGBT community that meditation exercises help her relax. It helps her deal with stresses.
Ali Forney Shelter's Founder and Executive Director, Carl Siciliano told CNN that Lady Gaga performed her new single "Million Reasons" in front of the teens and had her photo taken with them individually. It was a surprise visit to the shelter, which made the experience more special.
BBC News shares that Lady Gaga has long been an advocate of the LGBT community. That's why during the visit, she was not afraid to share her illness to the LGBT teenagers, which inspired them to love more and be loved in return. It also encouraged some of her fans to share their own stories. Her action helped thousands of fans to cope with PTSD and other mental illnesses, and realize that they are stronger than they know.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
