Lady Gaga to join in Rome gay pride event

ROME — The U.S. Ambassador to Italy says Lady Gaga has accepted an invitation to participate in a gay pride parade in Rome’s Circus Maximus — the closing event of 2011 Euro Pride.

David Thorne said in a statement Monday he is “very proud to have an Italian-American artist of her stature” come to the Italian capital. He quoted U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as saying “human rights are gay rights and gay rights are human rights.”

The pop star was invited by Thorne and the local organizers of Euro Pride, which takes place each year in a different European city

Lady Gaga’s new album “Born This Way” sold a million copies in its first week.