I was BORN THIS WAY BABY!

Thank you baby Jesus! I was able to download the latest Gaga single “Born This Way”! 

Obsessed! Brilliant! Inspirational! Been listening to it on repeat for days! Literally can’t get enough …never ask me to, cuz I never will (Frankism). It will become as classic as “Like a Prayer” and I can’t even breathe thinking about it (Frankism).

Born This Way is an anthem of self acceptance, originality and love.  The lyrics are empowering for anyone who has been rejected or targeted or marginalized because of who they are.  The song gives special attention to those who identify as LGBT-Lesbian, Gay Bisexual or Transgender, as it seems the assault of their humanity is never ending, from school bullying to governmental policies. 

Born This Way simply reminds us all that, we were born they way we are.  If you are gay, you were born that way.  If you are Black, you were born that way.  If you have a disability, you were born that way.  And as Gaga sings out, she empowers us not to feel ashamed of who we are, but to embrace and love ourselves…because as she sings, “God makes no mistakes, we were Born This Way”.

Although I love Gaga, I think she might actually be the second coming of Jesus Christ, she is not the first to introduce this liberating concept to the world.  I first came to understand the concept of “Born This Way”, of self acceptance and love, when I was a very young child, in a children’s book called “Free to Be…You and Me” by Marlo Thomas.  

“Free to Be…You and Me”, is a collection of short stories, poems, songs and pictures, that promote to children and adults alike, the very same ideas that Gaga’s “Born This Way” promote.  “Free to Be…You and Me” teaches children that it’s okay to be different.  And encourages children to love and accept themselves and others for who they are.  To this day, “Free to Be…You and Me”, is not only one of my favorite books but also my life motto. 

And although we, as a society, have come a long way in accepting “differentness”, we still have a long way to go.  Unfortunately it still takes great courage to be “different” in our society.  To live in truth.  To recognize and honor that we were Born This Way. 

So I write this post for all those people who do have the courage to live their truth and those who are gaining the strength, maybe even from Born This Way, to one day embrace who they were born and to live their truth.  And I write this in hopes that that one day we won’t need songs or books to tell us that it is okay to be Born This Way.  And we will really will be Free to Be… You and Me.     

ps... I thought I would share with you some parts of both Born This Way and Free to Be... You and ME.  

 

 I'm beautiful in my way,
'Cause God makes no mistakes
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way 

For a land where the river runs free
For a land through the green country
For a land to a shining sea
For a land where the horses run free
And you and me are free to be you and me