In a whirl of platinum blonde hair, Alexander McQueen silk and Christian Louboutin stilettos, Lady Gaga strutted onto the scene in 2008 and became a full-blown phenomenon.

She was a refreshing splash of talent and creativity in an otherwise dull pop music landscape. Her leather-covered body was bumpinâÄô and grindinâÄô across my TV screen, and her addictive beats and catchy lyrics soon got stuck in my head. Before I knew it, I had turned into a Gaga fan.

But now, Lady Gaga has me second guessing her intentions. Self-proclaimed âÄúMother MonsterâÄù has always been open about her passion for equality, gay rights and self acceptance, but lately her constant declarations of liberation suspiciously comes across like a major marketing ploy for her new album âÄúBorn This WayâÄù than actual empowerment.

While itâÄôs nice that Gaga is at least attempting to spread a positive message, I find it problematic that she has crowned herself Queen of the Misfits, Goddess of the GLBT community, and âÄî worst of all âÄîâÄúMotherâÄù of all her fanatic âÄúLittle Monsters.âÄù

I find it even weirder that she is sometimes construed as a role model to women, especially concerning body image and self esteem.

In Cosmopolitan magazine, she revealed that she felt like an outcast because she had curly brown hair and was overweight in high school.

I guess GagaâÄôs version of âÄúempowermentâÄù is losing weight, dying your hair blonde and shimmying around in barely  there outfits.

Her example hardly jives with her messages of self-acceptance and rebellion against societal norms.

While IâÄôm impressed with her surprisingly decent voice, her charity work and the fact that she writes and produces her own songs, I canâÄôt buy into the whole role model and liberator act.