This is Lady Gaga on the cover of the August issue of The Advocate. This is her “self portrait” – or at least that’s what they’re claiming. I’ve just skimmed the article (the full piece is here), and Gaga seems to be fielding questions mostly about politics and her work on issues of gay rights. So, unlike her recent Harper’s Bazaar piece, Gaga doesn’t sound like a coked-out lunatic, claiming that Alexander McQueen’s ghost inhabited her body to write “Born This Way”. Gaga doesn’t sound so druggy here, but… you know, she’s still full of herself. I buy that she’s a passionate supporter of gay rights, and she really does put her time and effort where her mouth is:

Through skepticism and criticism, pop superstar Lady Gaga remains one of the most outspoken advocates for LGBT equality today. She’s been accused of not being gay enough to claim one of the letters the aforementioned acronym, and critics say her activism is superficial, but through it all her devotion to supporting marriage equality, fighting the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, and increasing AIDS awareness remains strong. The Advocate’s Jeremy Kinser spoke with Lady Gaga about her activism, her critics, and her music. Lady Gaga immediately sounded off against some of the skeptics.

“To say that I would use the gay community to sell records is probably one of the most ridiculous statements anyone can make about me,” Gaga states with a hint of frustration in her voice. “I would say the top thing I think about every single day of my life, other than my fans, loving the music, and my family being healthy, is social justice and equality.”

While she may be frustrated by the backlash she has faced, she understands that with fame comes cynicism.

“Rumors, shots at me as a human being, that’s what comes with the territory of being a musician and being someone who is a public figure,” Gaga confesses. “I care only about what I can change. What can I push forward? How can I be a part of the fight for modern social issues?”

Lady Gaga put her money where her mouth was, however, in a recent controversy with mega-retailer Target. The company was set to sell a special edition of Gaga’s album Born This Way, but many LGBTs expressed indignation at the deal after Target came under fire when the company’s corporate PAC made campaign contributions to support antigay candidate Tom Emmer in his failed 2010 run for governor of Minnesota. After the outcry, Gaga met with the company’s “entire executive staff” and soon thereafter canceled the deal.

“You’re either going to try and change or you’re not,” Gaga recalls of the meeting, in which she insisted Target ally itself with LGBT charities and organizations. And, while terms of the deal were not made public, they did not satisfy the singer.

“Taking an ambiguous stance is not what I’m about, obviously. I like to go right for the ass-kicker. You’re either in or you’re out. I’m from New York. I know bullsh-t. I can smell it from a mile away.”

Lady Gaga has also faced backlash—fair or not—for drawing too heavily from another gay favorite and equality advocate, Madonna. Gaga recognizes those comparisons as well as those to other women she admires, including Barbra Streisand.

“There’s no drama, there’s no jealousy, there’s no competition,” she says. “They’re just happy to see other women winning. I just feel so connected to Madonna in a lot of ways, and I feel connected to Barbra, and I feel connected to Cher and Blondie and all of the women who came before me.”

Born This Way: “I would say that’s precisely what Born This Way is all about. It’s not about just being born in one moment; it’s about being reborn over and over again until you find and become that unique and special person inside of you that is the most brave and the most sure and the most ready to take on the world,” she says. “And I was born this way. And that’s who I am. Some people weren’t born to wear masks, but I was. I was born to wear masks and wigs and fashion. To express myself through my clothing and my performance art, and that’s who I am. And the song is meant to be liberating not only from an individual perspective but from a creative perspective.”

Gaga doesn’t take the accompanying fame for granted. She knows that with it comes an equal measure of responsibility. “I believe I was destined to be an artist,” she says. “At the end of the day I could be rolling around in Rolls-Royces, buying mansions for myself, making records, and dancing around in my underwear. But to be honest, I’m not interested in doing that at all. I’d rather be at rallies with the fans, being a part of their voice, helping to mobilize and enforce change. If people don’t believe me, they don’t have to be a part of it.”

[From The Advocate]

Ugh… when she’s talking about gay rights, I’m all “go, Gaga!” And then she starts in with her martyr complex and how she’s not copying Madonna and I just want to smack her a little bit. Ugh, I won’t even start with her.

Here are some photos of Gaga in Taiwan yesterday:

Photos courtesy of WENN & The Advocate.