Lady Gaga calls out for equality: "people of all gender identities and races deserve peace and dignity"

Mulvaney shared a series of photographs of herself with Lady Gaga as part of a photoshoot for Haus Labs – Gaga’s makeup line – with the caption "Happy International Women's Day". Her comments were flooded with transphobia, and critique of her for celebrating IWD as a transgender woman.

Lady Gaga has now posted her own statement, noting that it is "appalling" to see "such vitriol and hatred", noting that publications reporting the situation as "backlash" is simply wrong. "I feel it is important to clarify that hatred is hatred, and this kind of hatred is violence," she wrote. "“Backlash” would imply that people who love or respect Dylan and me didn’t like something we did."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lady Gaga (@ladygaga)

"It is not surprising given the immense work that it’s obvious we still have to do as a society to make room for transgender lives to be cherished and upheld by all of us. I feel very protective in this moment, not only of Dylan, but of the trans community who continues to lead the way with their endless grace and inspiration in the face of constant degradation, intolerance, and physical, verbal, and mental violence," she continued.

"I certainly do not speak for this community, but I have something to say. I hope all women will come together to honor us ALL for International Women’s Day, and may we do that always until THE DAY that all women are celebrated equally. That all people are celebrated equally. A day where people of all gender identities are celebrated on whichever holiday speaks to them. Because people of all gender identities and races deserve peace and dignity."