Pop star Sam Smith announced that he switched his gender pronouns to “they/them” in a series of tweets Friday.
Smith said he’s “been very nervous about announcing this,” despite the fact that he already declared his rejection of gender in 2017.
“After a lifetime of being at war with my gender I’ve decided to embrace myself for who I am, inside and out,” Smith wrote in a tweet informing his fans that he now should be referred to with “they/them” pronouns. This means that the singer doesn’t feel that he fits within the bounds of the traditional male and female gender identities indicated by he/him and she/her pronouns.
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!
— Sam Smith (@samsmith) September 13, 2019
The pop star said the announcement leaves him “scared shitless, but feeling super free right now.”
Smith, however, already made a similar announcement in 2017. (RELATED: Would You Date A Transgender Person?)
“I don’t know what the title would be,” Smith responded, when asked about his gender identity during an interview with The Times two years ago. “I feel just as much woman as I am man.”
The Daily Caller also reported on Smith’s 2017 announcement, discussing the meaning and implications of the singer’s non-binary identity.