Sam Smith has revealed that pop icon Lady Gaga encouraged them to come out as non-binary.
The singer got candid about their coming out in a recent appearance on Vogue's beauty video series Beauty Secrets, where celebrities share makeup and styling tips, and details about their personal lives.
Smith previously spoke about coming out in this interview with Ellen DeGeneres:In the video in question, the 28-year-old stated:
"I was 15 when The Fame came out and I was obsessed with Lady Gaga...For me, she gave me complete permission to be myself and to be proud of my queerness."
"It was a form of expression, but it was also weirdly a form of protection - it was a way of almost saying to the homophobes and the bullies: 'Stay away from me,' because I'm confident and I'm powerful in my queerness."
Smith first alluded to their true gender in a 2019 interview with GQ, in which they stated that they had never felt "comfortable" being a man. Smith told GQ that:
"Some days I’ve got my manly side and some days I’ve got my womanly side, but it’s when I’m in the middle of that switch that I get really, really depressed and sad.
"Because I don’t know who I am or where I am or what I’m doing, and I feel very misunderstood by myself. I realized that’s because I don’t fit into either."
In a post made on September 13, 2019, the singer asked their 8.1 million Twitter followers to refer to them using the pronouns "They/them", writing:
"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... [sic]"
They added:
"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 f*** it!
"I understand there will be many mistakes and [misgendering] but all I ask is you please please try. I hope you can see me like I see myself now. Thank you. [sic]"
However, this is far from the only good deed Lady Gaga is responsible for. In fact, back in April, she managed to raise a jaw-dropping $35,000,000 for coronavirus relief organizations.
