English singer-songwriter Sam Smith has opened up about their gender identity in a recent interview with
The 25-year-old discussed how they experimented with clothing and make-up in high school, despite being bullied for the way they looked.
“People don’t know this, but when I was 17, I remember becoming obsessed with Boy George and Marilyn. There was one moment in my life when I didn’t own a piece of male clothing, really.”
“I would wear full make-up every day at school – eyelashes, leggings with Dr Martens and huge fur coats, for two and a half years."
“I got teased a lot for it. But there were also people respecting me for walking around like that in my school.”
Smith was then asked whether they feel like a cisgender man, to which they replied: “No”.
“I mean, I’ve got these tattoos on my fingers. I don’t know what the title would be, but I feel just as much woman as I am man.”
The "Too Good at Goodbyes" singer added that they've been targeted because of the way they look and was once assaulted when they were working at a bar in London.
“I’d finished work and put on my clothes, and someone punched me in the chest, obviously just because of the way I looked. But that never bothered me, because I had this barricade up.”
Smith also gave a shoutout to Darlinghurst institution House of Priscilla, saying they visit the costume emporium every time they're in Australia.
“Oh my god, I just buy everything – heels, dresses. We have a great time.”
Edit: An earlier version of this article used male pronouns to identify Smith. Although Smith has not specified which gender pronouns they wish to be addressed by in the future, the post has been updated with gender neutral pronouns.
