In 2019, Sam Smith announced they were embracing their identity and using they/them pronouns, calling it a major step in ending their “war with gender.” Though they acknowledged mistakes would happen, Smith asked people to simply try.
Despite this, misgendering remains common. At the Grammys, an AP reporter referred to Smith as “he” while discussing their fashion. On This Morning, Bob Geldof repeatedly used male pronouns without correction, sparking viewer backlash. Lorraine Kelly also referred to Smith as “him” and “that fella” during a segment about their red-carpet look, prompting criticism online—though some defenders argued Smith “looks like a man.”
Smith later told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe that switching pronouns felt like “coming home,” but that changing language is difficult for everyone. “I’m going to be misgendered to the day I die,” they said, adding that the change is about feeling safe, happy, and more comfortable in their own skin.