Lady Gaga's Talking About Sex -- Responsibly

Behind the wild get-ups, changing hair color and performance-art schtick, there lives a sensitive, articulate young woman who is passionate about sex.

Safe sex, that is.

“It’s always been important to me, as it’s for my generation, a most relevant consideration when you’re growing up. Sex doesn’t mean nothing; sex means so much,” Lady Gaga, 25, says between sips of tea inside a studio at Chelsea Piers. “I hope that young women know that sex is still a big deal, and they don’t have to put out soon. If they want someone to court them for a while before they give it up, that’s wonderful and beautiful, and a man will only respect you more for honoring your body. I am that way.”

Gaga is not just talking the talk about attitudes toward sex. She is walking the walk with help from MAC Cosmetics and its Viva Glam campaign, which kicked off in 1994 with spokesman RuPaul and has included icons such as Elton John, Cyndi Lauper and Mary J. Blige. It will bring in Nicki Minaj and Ricky Martin in February.

“What I hope to do with this campaign is to not only raise awareness for AIDS and HIV but raise the awareness that it’s OK and wonderful and beautiful to love yourself and be happy and to honor your body and to use a condom or say no,” she says.

Since becoming the latest face of Viva Glam in 2009, Gaga has helped raise $55 million for the MAC AIDS Fund through the sale of exclusive MAC Viva Glam lipsticks. She hopes to meet the lifetime goal of $250 million for the campaign.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!