TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL 2025 REVIEW! The documentary, I Was Born This Way, may immediately bring Lady Gaga to mind, and it should, as Carl Bean, the man who inspired her hit, was also behind the song “I Was Born This Way,” which became the world’s first gay anthem in 1977. It was a time when disco allowed gay men to be part of something mainstream and accepted—an important and significant moment for many.
Carl Bean was an exceptional man who simply wanted to sing. However, his passion for singing ultimately led him to a much larger calling in life: becoming a Black gay Archbishop for the United Fellowship Church, the first LGBTQ+ ministry that he founded.
“Carl Bean was an exceptional man who simply wanted to sing.”
The backstory of how Bean became a spiritual leader is one of inspiration and fortitude. From his early childhood in Baltimore, where he faced racism, homophobia, and trauma, Bean only ever wanted to sing, which led him on an unscripted and unexpected journey. Starting as a gospel singer in Harlem’s Christian Tabernacle Choir in New York City, he then formed his own group, Carl Bean and Universal Love, which released the 1974 album “Universal Love” in Los Angeles. Bean’s path was shaped by his talent and spirituality, particularly when Barry Gordy’s Motown came calling.
In a well-orchestrated documentary featuring Lady Gaga, Questlove, Billy Porter, Dionne Warwick, Rep. Maxine Waters, and many more, I Was Born This Way offers a past, present, and future within a structure and narrative that showcases an incredible history and highlights the importance of visionaries with an undying ability to push forward in the bleakest situations.
"…The song’s influence continues in many forms since its release in 1977."
