Gay-neration Gaga: Diva Worship and the Fantabulous Emancipation of Gay Lady Gaga Fans
Abstract Galvez, E. (2019). Gay-neration Gaga: Diva Worship and the Fantabulous Emancipation of Gay Lady Gaga Fans. Unpublished Undergraduate Thesis. University of the Philippines. College of Mass Communication.
This study shows how gay men’s practices of diva worship facilitate the development of a queer identity. It delves into what the different practices of diva worship are, why gay men practice it, and how these practices of diva worship affect gay men’s acceptance of their sexual identity. Interviews were conducted with 10 male gay Lady Gaga fans who expressed their fandom by participating in Lady Gaga fan message boards online. Guided by John Fiske’s and Henry Jenkins’ studies on fandom and fan productivities, I illustrate how the fan productivities of these Lady Gaga fans enabled them to embody a queer identity that helped them become more accepting of their homosexual identity.
Keywords: diva worship, queer, fandom, fan productivity, social identity