A TV presenter is facing backlash for repeatedly misgendering Sam Smith by referring to them as ‘he.’
At 32, Sam Smith is one of today’s biggest artists, famous for hit songs like “I’m Not the Only One,” “Stay with Me,” and “Dancing with a Stranger.”
Despite their large fanbase, Sam Smith has faced significant criticism over the years, including backlash for their ‘satanic’ performance at the Grammys and their outfit at the Brit Awards.
Now, people are rallying to support the pop star after they were repeatedly misgendered on a TV show.
Sam Smith came out as non-binary in 2019, expressing a preference for they/them pronouns.
The ‘Promises’ singer wrote on social media: “After a lifetime of struggling with my gender, I’ve decided to embrace who I am, inside and out.”
“I understand that there will be mistakes and misgendering, but all I ask is that you please try. I hope you can see me as I see myself now. Thank you.”
They added: “I’m not yet at a stage where I can eloquently discuss what it means to be non-binary, but I look forward to the day I can. For now, I just want to be visible and open.”
Since coming out as non-binary, Smith has faced repeated instances of being misgendered.
Last year, the pop star appeared on the U.K.’s The One Show and corrected Alex Jones when she misgendered them.
Smith said to the Mirror: “I do love fishing. I’d love to be a fisherperson.”
Jones asked the singer if they meant something like a ‘fly fisherman,’ to which they replied: “I’d be any type of fisherperson. One day, I’d just like to spend my time fishing.”
At the Grammys, a reporter from the Associated Press mistakenly used male pronouns when discussing Smith’s evolving style.
The reporter stated in The Independent: “Sam Smith has stirred quite a bit of controversy with his outfits over the past year. I admire how he’s constantly pushing boundaries and evolving beyond the ballad-era Sam Smith we once knew.”
“He’s still performing those ballads, but he’s fully embracing pop music now. We can see this shift not just in his music but also in his style.”
On the daytime TV show This Morning, Bob Geldof misgendered Sam Smith during a live segment. The program’s presenters faced criticism for not issuing a correction.
Pink News reports that Geldof repeatedly used he/him pronouns when referring to the artist.
In a radio interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music’s New Music Daily, Smith discussed the challenges of being misgendered.
They stated (according to People): “What’s hard is people changing their vocabulary; that’s very, very difficult. It takes time. Everyone messes up. I’m going to be misgendered for the rest of my life.”
“This is going to take a long, long time for people to stop using gendered language in their vocabulary.”
In a discussion with the Australian outlet The Project, Smith elaborated: “It’s like, ‘It’s okay, but it is important’ – you know?”
“All I can say is, when people use my pronouns correctly, it’s a wonderful feeling. I feel safe, happy, and completely seen.”
Advocates for Trans Equality recommend that to be respectful, people should use the name and pronouns requested by a non-binary individual, avoid making assumptions based on appearance, and support policies that accommodate non-binary individuals, particularly in gendered spaces like restrooms.
One instance of Smith being misgendered happened shortly after their red carpet appearance at the Barbie movie.
While many celebrities showed up in Barbie-inspired outfits, Smith chose a more casual look, wearing an oversized black sweatshirt and large flared light blue jeans.
On her talk show, TV presenter Lorraine Kelly discussed Smith’s look with guest Vogue Williams and misgendered Smith multiple times.
At one point, she commented, “Oh, he’s dressed down,” and added, “It’s a bit big for him. If he were my son, I’d say, ‘Son, that’s a bit big for you.’ He looks like the wee shrinking man, bless him.”
Meanwhile, Irish model and media personality Vogue Williams used Smith’s correct pronouns, noting that Smith would “certainly stand out on the red carpet.”
Fans of the singer and songwriter were disappointed by Kelly’s misgendering and quickly expressed their frustration on social media, criticizing the TV host.
One person posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Seems like Lorraine missed the memo about Sam Smith’s pronouns. Awkward”.
“Another addition was her attempt to use ‘him’ as many times as possible in one sentence!”
“‘Not Lorraine misgendering Sam Smith repeatedly!’ commented a third.”
Someone else said, “She usually handles this kind of thing well, but Vogue looked visibly uncomfortable! It seemed like she was really stressing the ‘THEY’ for Lorraine to notice, but it didn’t make a difference. I’m sure she’ll be disappointed about getting it wrong.”
