
Lady Gaga Defends Cole Goforth, a Teen Sent Home From School for Wearing Her T-Shirt
By Steven Avalos Posted Apr 7th 2010 04:24PM
Cole Goforth, a 15-year-old Tennessee high school student, was sent home on Monday because his T-shirt was causing a "disruption." The T-shirt in question -- Lady Gaga merch from her 'Monster Ball' tour with the words "I ♥ LADY GAY GAY" emblazoned across the chest. The incident has attracted the attention of local news teams and Web sites like The Advocate, alleging the school has violated Goforth's freedom of speech. But wait, there's more! Naturally, Lady Gaga heard of the incident and has taken to her Twitter to defend the young fan.



With nearly three-and-a-half million followers on Twitter, Gaga's words elevated media interest in the story, and we imagine they will probably make Cole feel a little better about the whole situation. He has already tweeted about the controversy. "Individuality, self-expression, and truly being comfortable with yourself is something that runs so deep to me, I could cry talking about it," he wrote.
According to NBC affiliate WSMV-TV, "Cole Goforth's mother said the school is violating her son's freedom of speech and expression rights because kids who wear religious shirts and rebel flag shirts aren't sent home. The school said a shirt he wore is a disruption."
Cole's own take? "I don't think my sexuality is widely accepted around here, so of course they are going to single me out," he told Nashville's Local WSMV-TV.
"Thank you so much Lady Gaga, it means alot to hear that coming from you. Your an inspiration to me, and countless others," Goforth wrote on Twitter.
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I remember when "gay" always meant "happy" and nothing else. Maybe this kid is just double happy about Lady Gaga!!
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Some times I call my dog Doggie Gaga when his fur is flying. Sometimes he tries to hump male dogs but I would never call him Doggie Gay Gay. I do love him though and I don't feel jealous when he humps other people's legs.
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Good point tuffpaw..
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He probably wore the shirt as a joke,you cant just wear anything you want to school.But she does have a better body than i thought.
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She really should change her name to Lady DoDo .
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When homophobic breeders like you stop pushing your lifestyle down our throats and stop discriminating against us, we will shut up about it. I pay my taxes just like breeders but I can't live equally and openly. I have to be surrounded by straights all day everyday, year after year after year so if you have to hear about us once in a while, deal with it.
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You may not wear a t-shirt saying your straight but I bet you talk about your boyfriend/husband, your children, wedding anniversaries, pregnacies, prom dates, wear wedding/engagement rings, bumper stickers about your honor student, etc. Every thing you see and hear in life is about straight people, their relationships and their annoying brats. Like I said to the other guy, if you have to hear about us once in a while, too bad, deal with it.
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why do we need to know you're christian? keep it in church.
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Not sure we have the entire story. So just taking it at face value; the shirt is meant to make a statement and to cause a reaction. Most schools are a place of learning and not a place to make political statement or create a scene. Good for the school in protecting other students from the political and social views of others; after all it is a place for learning not making social and political statements.
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Yes, this includes all social, political, theological agendas. If the school wants to have a "open" policy then let everyone have at it. I am sure that you can't wear: "turn or burn"; "i am strait"; "Obama Sucks"; or even "Bush Lied" shirts at the school. As long as it is a policy equally enforced to all views than there is nothing wrong with sending the little kid home.
Stop jumping on the bandwagon and watch the original news story. The issue is not about what the shirt says, rather the fact that he has a history of creating a disruption with his behavior. He is probably not the victim he is making himself out to be.
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SELF EXSPRESSION!! we all do it, whether you wear nike, hollister, prada, or any other trade mark your still exspressing your individuality,, so what if he wore the shirt, might have been the only clean one he had, and furthermore, it was prolly some little teachers pet that had the problem with it or a self righteous bible thumping teacher that knows more than god,, and who prolly thinks he/she is the only one that can judge.... my bible says there is no one sin greater than the other, and he who is WITHOUT sin cast the first stone....
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Googoo,Gaga!!!
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You know Forget all of yalll that are dissing if some one is gay.....get over it ...im not gay but im not going to stop poeple who are gay having the same rights as me. Gay, or not we are all the same . so i give Props to the kid who wore the shirt.
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WHEN I GREW UP WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE SHIRTS! AND I HAD TO WALK 7 MILES TO SCHOOL THROUGH TEN FEET OF SNOW!
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ok who cares?? no one asked you. and it has nothing to do with the subject so shut up.
Hes gay, shes gay, most of the world is gay now days. what the heck is going on...?
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The reason that Cole should CONTINUE to wear his shirt to school, is BECAUSE Greenbrier, TN is so intolerant to "different" things. Cole isn't "flaunting" anything, he is being himself. If people of Greenbrier are so offended and afraid of something that is perfectly natural and normal, they SHOULD BE EDUCATED. After all, this is a school! Lets seriously put our heads together and get up to GREENBRIER TENNESSEE and PROTEST THIS SCHOOL. Even a Silent Vigil, ANYTHING to show support for this BRAVE YOUNG OUT GAY TEEN who is paving the way for so many. I was born and raised in Nashville. LETS DO THIS!!!!
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He's a clown, can I where a shirt that says I hate gays, if he can where this one I should be able to where mine
Really people, get over it. I'm a highschool student and do you know you childish you're all sounding? If it doesn't violate school rules, then I see nothing wrong with it. We have so many problems in the world going on and we are bickering about this? I don't care about someone's sexuality, ethnicity, or any other thing. In thirty years everyone is going to have different sexuality, and be different races. I know you might think it's sad, but it's oh so very true. My generation is going to uprise from the ashes of prejudice once and for all. Talk about something like healthcare, politics, global warming, anything else besides this. We've been there done that. Oh and I don't care if you're a Lady Gaga fan or not, she's an artist like every other musician who sells her music and merchandise, because it's her job. Hey, I admit I like some of her music too. I'm glad that she cares for her fans too. Some people could care less. Anyways. Get over it.
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