Lady Gaga defends meat dress as part of protest for gay rights

Lady Gaga has revealed that one of the dresses she wore to the MTV awards was made of real meat.

The bisexual singer was criticised for the choice by animal rights organisations, who said it was another animal that had been killed.

The outfit, designed by Franc Fernandez, was a fleshy, buttock-revealing ensemble of raw beef, with matching shoes.

Animal rights group PETA said it was "offensive" and warned fans could stop buying her music.

Gaga appeared on lesbian presenter Ellen DeGeneres' post-awards show, where she said the meat dress was part of her protest for gay equality.

She said: "It's certainly no disrespect to anyone that's vegan or vegetarian.

"As you know I'm the most judgment-free human being on the earth.

"It has many interpretations, but for me this evening it's saying if we don't stand up for what we believe in, if we don't fight for our rights, pretty soon we're going to have as much rights as the meat on our bones."

The singer attended the awards on Sunday night with four ex-US military servicemembers who had been dismissed or quit over the law against out gay soldiers.

DeGeneres, who had a vegan wedding to Portia de Rossi in 2008, appeared bemused and presented the singer with an alternative dress made from leaves.

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