Lady Gaga appeared at a rally in Portland, Maine USA yesterday (Monday 20 September) to speak out against the US military's "don't ask, don't tell policy."

"My name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. I am an American citizen," the singer told the crowd at the University of Southern Maine's Portland campus, at a rally organized by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. She urged Republican Senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe to support the repeal of the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" rule, according to CNN.

Gaga’s speech was a last minute attempt at influencing the crucial Senate vote, which is scheduled for today (Tuesday 21 September). The Senators could vote to allow a repeal of the policy, and CNN reports that the “Democrats are unlikely to muster the 60-vote supermajority needed to get the bill to the Senate floor without their support.”

Gaga told the crowd, "I'm here because 'don't ask, don't tell' is wrong. It's unjust. And fundamentally, it is against all that we stand for as Americans."

The 24-year-old singer also drew cheers by proposing a new law, titled, "If you don't like it, go home."

"We should be sending home the straight soldier whose performance is being affected by his homophobia," said Gaga. "If you are not honourable enough to fight without prejudice, go home," she shouted.