Sam Smith spat at in the street after coming out as non-binary

The singer said they faced a lot of hate after speaking about being non-binary and pronouns

British singer Sam Smith performs on stage during the V Festival 2015 at Hylands Park in Chelmsford, Essex, England, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015. (Photo by Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)
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Sam Smith has said they have been spat at in the street after changing their pronouns.

The Stay With Me singer, 30, shared in 2019 that they are non-binary and use they/them pronouns.

Opening up in an Apple Music interview, Smith said that it had brought about a lot of positives in their personal life, with friends and family.

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But they admitted they had faced a lot of “hate” from others - and that it even happened in the street.

EDITORIAL USE ONLY Sam Smith performing during the filming for the Graham Norton Show at BBC Studioworks 6 Television Centre, Wood Lane, London, to be aired on BBC One on Friday evening. Picture date: Thursday January 26, 2023. Photo credit: Matt Crossick/PA Wire
Sam Smith said they have been spat at in the street. (PA Wire)

"The only negatives, and the struggle, have been in my public life and my job and just the amount of hate and s***ness that came my way was just exhausting,” they said.

“It was really hard.”

Smith said that it wasn’t a case of looking for it by Googling themselves and seeing negatives things come up, explaining that “it’s happening in the street”.

“For me I can deal with not Googling myself, not reading comments, that’s something I can control,” said the star.

“I’m being abused in the street, verbally, more than I ever have. So that was the hardest part, was being at home in the UK and having people shout at me in the street.

“Someone spat at me in the street. It’s crazy.”

EDITORIAL USE ONLY Sam Smith performing during the filming for the Graham Norton Show at BBC Studioworks 6 Television Centre, Wood Lane, London, to be aired on BBC One on Friday evening. Picture date: Thursday January 26, 2023. Photo credit: Matt Crossick/PA Wire
Sam Smith has opened up about facing abuse. (PA Wire)

Dancing With A Stranger singer Smith said that speaking out about their pronouns had not caused “one negative” in their personal life.

“My family can communicate with me, they always did, but they communicate with me now in an even better way,” they said.

Read more: Sam Smith declares ‘I am enough’

The star went on: “My love life has become better from it, I feel lovable, I feel comfortable in my skin.”

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