ROME — Lady Gaga hailed gays on Saturday as the "revolutionaries of love" and called for "full equality now" for same-sex couples around the world in a speech in front of hundreds of thousands in Rome.
The US pop diva criticised governments in Eastern Europe and the Middle East for condemning young people to a life of isolation and discrimination and told the EuroPride rally: "We're all from the same DNA. We were just born this way."
"I stand here as a woman of the world and I ask governments, with you, worldwide to facilitate our dream of equality," said the singer, who wore a Versace dress and a green wig and later performed two of her hit singles.
"Let us be revolutionaries of love and use our very strong human powers to save lives and encourage unity around the world," she said from a stage in the Circus Maximus -- an ancient arena in the heart of Rome.
Organisers estimated the size of the crowd at around one million people.
There were other gay rights rallies around Europe on Saturday including one in Croatia in which several people were injured after opponents hurled stones and bottles at participants and several dozen people were arrested.
Lady Gaga's speech came after a parade through Rome where participants criticised the Vatican and Italy's government for their stance on gay rights.
I stand here as a woman of the world and I ask governments, with you, worldwide to facilitate our dream of equality,'' said the singer, who wore a Versace dress and a green wig and later performed two of her hit singles.
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''Let us be revolutionaries of love and use our very strong human powers to save lives and encourage unity around the world,'' she said.
Organisers estimated the size of the crowd at about 1 million people.
There were other gay rights rallies around Europe, including one in Croatia, in which several people were injured after opponents hurled stones and bottles at participants and several dozen people were arrested.
Lady Gaga's speech came after a parade through Rome where participants criticised the Vatican and Italy's government for their stance on gay rights.
Lady Gaga praised her audience for its"great courage" which she says inspires her.
Europride organizers hope the event will draw attention to discrimination gays face in many parts of the world. The U.S. ambassador was among those who invited Lady Gaga to Rome.
"I am so honored to be here," Lady Gaga said, recalling how, earlier in the day, she lay naked in silk sheets in her hotel room and enjoyed the din of adoring fans and packs of photographers in the street below.
Organizers said Rome was a significant choice of venue, since it is home to the Vatican, which staunchly opposes legislation that would recognize same-sex marriage or adoption by gay couples.
Others hoped the turnout would send a message to Premier Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian leader dogged by a sex scandal involving an alleged 17-year-old Moroccan prostitute. The billionaire media mogul triggered outrage from gay rights groups last fall when he contended during a public appearance that it was "better to be passionate about a beautiful girl than a gay."
Berlusconi's equal opportunity minister, a woman, defended the premier, saying he had just been joking and had no intention of offending gays. A government undersecretary further provoked protests when she said she was sure "all Italian parents hope to have heterosexual children."
The premier, who is on trial in Milan for allegedly paying the teenager for sex and then using his office to try to cover it up, has denied any wrongdoing.
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