Lady Gaga Rallies In Maine Against ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’; Evokes Meat Dress Metaphor

Lady Gaga took to the podium in front of a large crowd in Portland, Maine on Monday afternoon, to urge the state’s U.S. Senators to vote to repeal the controversial 1993 “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Clinton-era policy, which prevents gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military. The Senate is scheduled to address the issue on Tuesday, when it discusses the National Defense Authorization Act, a bill that includes the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

“Equality is the prime rib of America…” Gaga told the crowd of over 2,000, evoking the same metaphor which she made famous via her now infamous meat dress worn recently to the MTV Video Music Awards.

Gaga was chaperoned to the VMAs by four former soldiers, discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

“Equality is the prime rib of what we stand for as a nation … and I don’t get to enjoy the greatest cut of meat that my country has to offer. ARE YOU LISTENING? Shouldn’t everyone reserve…. shouldn’t everyone deserve… the right to wear the same meat dress that I do?” she continued.

Gaga was speaking on behalf of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, which held the rally near the University of Southern Main’s Portland campus. Maine’s two centrist female Republican Senators, Reps. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, are key swing votes in the effort to repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

Gaga, who referred to herself by her full real name as a U.S. citizen, Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, ended her speech leading the crowd in a chant. “Repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell …” she demanded. “Or, GO HOME!…GO HOME! GO HOME!”

Last Friday, Gaga posted the following video to YouTube, demanding the policy’s repeal.