Sam Smith officially changed their pronouns in 2020, and since then, has experienced a lot of hate for it.
In a new interview to promote their new album, the “Unholy” singer recalled one particular instance where they were spat on by a passerby because they weren’t using “he” or “him” any longer.
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Talking to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Sam opened up about their life since making the change.
“So we’ve got two sides, really. My personal life and then my public life. And in my personal life, there’s not one negative. My family, they can communicate with me. They always did,” Sam said. “But they communicate with me now in an even better way. My love life has become better from it. I feel lovable. I feel comfortable in my skin, but I wear what I want to wear.”
They added that since making and announcing the pronoun change, it “felt like a coming home. I wish I knew what the words were when I was in school, because I would’ve identified as that in school. Because it is who I am and it’s who I’ve always been.”
However, while their family and friends have been accepting of it, many others in their fanbase (and not in their fanbase) have not.
“I think all the only negatives in the struggle have been in my public life and my job. And just the amount of hate and sh***iness that came my way was just exhausting,” Sam said, before opening up about the harassment that they’ve faced.
Sam said that the pronoun changed made it to the “f***ing news” and there was someone who “spat at me in the street. It’s crazy.”
“What I find hard about it is it’s like, if that’s happening to me and I’m famous, I’m a pop star, can you imagine what other kids, like queer kids are feeling?” they mused. “It’s just so sad that we’re in 2023 and it’s still happening. It’s exhausting and especially in England.”
Just a few months ago, Sam spoke about some fans and reporters still getting their pronouns incorrect.
