Gaga meets with administration officials regarding their anti-bullying campaign.
By Gil Kaufman
Lady Gaga
Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images
Though she didn't get another audience with the president, Lady Gaga visited the White House on Tuesday to offer her help in the Obama administration's anti-bullying campaign. Gaga met with administration staffers about her pet issue, but was unable to speak to the president in person, as he was in Kansas giving a speech on the economy.
Lady Gaga is a source of strength for many young people who feel isolated and scared at their schools. Today, I had the opportunity to welcome her to the White House, where we discussed ways we could work together to make sure that no child comes under attack, regardless of his or her race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other factor," wrote Obama senior advisor Valerie Jarrett in a blog post on the White House website. "Lady Gaga has described this cause as a personal one — she has said that as a child, she was often picked on for being different. I am deeply moved by the way she has used her story, and her success, to inspire young people, and shine the spotlight on important issues."
Gaga previously met with Obama when she attended a fundraiser for the president's re-election campaign in California in September. The singer, who recently announced the upcoming launch of the Born This Way Foundation along with her mother, was uncharacteristically low-key about the White House pop-in, not posing for photos or publicizing the visit.
Jarrett went on to enumerate the various ways the administration has taken on bullying, including the White House conference on bullying held earlier this year by the president and First Lady Michelle Obama. The Lady Gaga event came on the same day that the administration released a new analysis of state bullying laws and policies, which shows that states have made some progress in enacting policies and legislation to address bullying, but that more work is left to be done.
"As we continue protecting our children, we look forward to working with Lady Gaga, the Born This Way Foundation, and with every American who is willing to help make our society more kind, inclusive, and equal," Jarrett said.
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