In 2019, Sam Smith announced they were embracing their identity and using they\/them pronouns, calling it a major step in ending their \u201cwar with gender.\u201d Though they acknowledged mistakes would happen, Smith asked people to simply try.<\/p>\n
Despite this, misgendering remains common. At the Grammys, an AP reporter referred to Smith as \u201che\u201d while discussing their fashion. On This Morning<\/em>, Bob Geldof repeatedly used male pronouns without correction, sparking viewer backlash. Lorraine Kelly also referred to Smith as \u201chim\u201d and \u201cthat fella\u201d during a segment about their red-carpet look, prompting criticism online\u2014though some defenders argued Smith \u201clooks like a man.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith later told Apple Music\u2019s Zane Lowe that switching pronouns felt like \u201ccoming home,\u201d but that changing language is difficult for everyone. \u201cI\u2019m going to be misgendered to the day I die,\u201d they said, adding that the change is about feeling safe, happy, and more comfortable in their own skin.<\/p>\n