However, many of us attended the Blonde Ambition Tour as closeted teenagers who feared what would happen if our parents and friends found out about our sexuality. Many of us thought about committing suicide. Madonna, who was the only big star to accept us at the time, was our escape. But we didn't have a Born Brave Bus. It's not Madonna's fault; this wasn't possible at a time when gay people were hated more than the Taliban.
Today, LGBT teenagers and young adults have many resources. They can live happy lives. They can get married. They can raise children. They can watch gay-friendly television shows. They can look up to a gay-friendly pop star who performs at major political events. It would have been amazing to have all that support as a teenager. For a second, I was envious of Lady Gaga's fans on the bus. But then, I felt good for them.
Speaking of Lady Gaga's fans, I have normally though of them as the most vile creatures on the planet. Of course, this opinion comes from arguing with them over the Internet. But the real world is different from the Internet. The fans I met in person were nice, educated, and radiated too much positivity in order to go back home and threaten the lives of Lady Gaga's supposed enemies. Lady Gaga, just like any artist, has her vile fans. However, the lesson learned through this experience is that you can't judge a complete group of people by a minority who uses the Internet.
I really wanted to go to the Born This Way Ball concert tonight. I might have disliked it, but today's experience felt incomplete without seeing the concert. Unfortunately, I had to drop something off in Manhattan Beach, where I am writing this article.
On a (sort of) funny note, I found out that the complaint about unwanted tickets being given away on the bus was based on something that actually happened. Little Monsters even accused me of making up the story and creating a fake Twitter account to spread the complaint.
However, the situation has been blown completely out of proportion as the bus was not being used as a ticket giveaway center, there was no abuse, and that the intentions in that incident were nothing but good. Remember -- you can't believe everything you read on the Internet.
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