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Singer Sam Smith embraces gender neutral pronouns they/them

  (Reuters)
Sun, September 15, 2019

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Singer Sam Smith embraces gender neutral pronouns they/them Singer Sam Smith poses as he arrives to the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 in London, Britain, on September 3, 2019. (REUTERS/Henry Nicholls)

B

ritish singer Sam Smith on Friday asked to be referred to by the gender neutral pronouns they/them, citing "a lifetime of being at war with my gender".

The Grammy-winning musician, 27, made the announcement in an Instagram post titled "My pronouns are they/them."

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Today is a good day so here goes. I’ve decided I am changing my pronouns to THEY/THEM ❤ after a lifetime of being at war with my gender I’ve decided to embrace myself for who I am, inside and out. I’m so excited and privileged to be surrounded by people that support me in this decision but I’ve been very nervous about announcing this because I care too much about what people think but fuck it! I understand there will be many mistakes and mis gendering but all I ask is you please please try. I hope you can see me like I see myself now. Thank you. P.s. I am at no stage just yet to eloquently speak at length about what it means to be non binary but I can’t wait for the day that I am. So for now I just want to be VISIBLE and open. If you have questions and are wondering what this all means I’ll try my best to explain but I have also tagged below the human beings who are fighting the good fight everyday. These are activists and leaders of the non binary/trans community that have helped me and given me so much clarity and understanding. @tomglitter @munroebergdorf @transnormativity @alokvmenon @katemoross @glamrou @travisalabanza @twyrent @chellaman @jvn @lavernecox @stonewalluk @glaad @humanrightscampaign @mermaidsgender Love you all. I’m scared shitless, but feeling super free right now. Be kind x

A post shared by Sam Smith (@samsmith) on

"I’ve decided to embrace myself for who I am, inside and out. I’m so excited and privileged to be surrounded by people that support me in this decision but I’ve been very nervous about announcing this because I care too much about what people think," the "Stay with Me" singer wrote.

Smith's Instagram posting swiftly got more than 400,000 likes.

Read also: Boys can wear skirts under Taiwan school's gender-neutral uniform plan

Smith said it was too early to explain "what it means to be non-binary" but the announcement comes six months after the singer came out on social media as "not male or female" but floating "somewhere in between."

Smith won four Grammy awards in 2015 after releasing debut studio album In the Lonely Hour about unrequited love.

Smith joins a growing number of people who wish to use they and them as pronouns, including Jill Soloway, the Emmy-winning creator of transgender series Transparent, and Billions TV series actor Asia Kate Dillon.

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