LOS ANGELES: Lady Gaga has never been one to shy away from the topic of sexuality. Whether it's her barely there outfits, her double-entendre-laden lyrics (infer from "I'm bluffin' with my muffin" what you will), or her onstage escapades, she's more than willing to discuss, dissect or display sex.

And in the September issue of Out magazine, Gaga gets deep, addressing rumors about her own sexuality — specifically, her supposed preference for women — her lifelong immersion in gay culture and how both of those things have helped make her the very fabulous star she is today.

"I had a few gay piano teachers. I was in acting class and ballet from a very young age, and I remember being around a lot of gay boys in dance class. I feel intrinsically inclined toward a more gay lifestyle," she tells the magazine. "I myself am not a gay woman — I am a free-spirited woman: I have had boyfriends, and I have hooked up with women, but it's never been like, 'I discovered gayness when I was dot dot dot.' "

She also spoke at length about her devotion to the gay community, which has supported her since she was a scruffy Lower East Side performance artist. It's why, before she agreed to tour with Kanye West, she sat him down and told him that she intended to put on a very gay show ... and nothing was going to change that.

"When I started in the mainstream, it was the gays that lifted me up," she told the magazine. "I committed myself to them and they committed themselves to me, and because of the gay community, I'm where I am today."