Entertainment
Demi Lovato comes out as non-binary and changes pronouns to they/them
Demi Lovato has come out as non-binary.
The 28-year-old has confirmed that they are officially changing their pronouns to they/them, as they feel it best represents the ‘fluidity I feel in my gender expression, and allows me to feel most authentic and true to the person I both know I am and still am discovering’.
The Cool For The Summer singer wrote on Instagram: ‘Every day we wake up, we are given another opportunity and chance to be who we want and wish to be. I’ve spent the majority of my life growing in front of all of you… you’ve seen the good, the bad, and everything in between. Not only has my life been a journey for myself, I was also living for those on the other side of the cameras.
‘Today is a day I’m so happy to share more of my life with you all – I am proud to let you know that I identify as non-binary and will officially be changing my pronouns to they/them moving forward 💖 This has come after a lot of healing and self-reflective work. I’m still learning and coming into myself, and I don’t claim to be an expert or a spokesperson.
‘Sharing this with you now opens another level of vulnerability for me. I’m doing this for those out there that haven’t been able to share who they truly are with their loved ones. Please keep living in your truths and know I am sending so much love your way.’
In a teaser for their new podcast series 4D, Demi explained: ‘Over the past year and a half, I’ve been doing some healing and self-reflective work. And through this work I have had the revelation that I identify as non-binary. With that said, I’ll officially be changing my pronouns to they/them. I feel that this best represents the fluidity I feel in my gender expression, and allows me to feel most authentic and true to the person I both know I am and still am discovering.
They added: ‘I want to make it clear that I am still learning and coming into myself. I don’t claim to be an expert or a spokesperson.’
Fans and friends congratulated the former Disney star on their announcement, with DJ Kittens writing: ‘So proud of youuu.’
Demi explored their announcement on the first episode of 4D, in a discussion with gender non-conforming writer and artist Alok Vaid-Menon.
The singer explained that they had met Alok through their mutual friend Sam Smith, and attended Alok’s show, where they had a ‘visceral reaction’ to Alok’s words about being non-binary.
Demi said: ‘In 2018, when I overdosed, I feel like the reason why that happened was because I was ignoring my truth, and I was suppressing who I really am in order to please stylists or team members or even fans that wanted me to be the sexy feminine popstar in a leotard and look a certain way, I thought that was what I was supposed to be.
‘Now I realise it’s so much more important to live your truth than to ever suppress yourself because that’s the kind of stuff that happens when you do.’
Tearing up as Alok described shame as ‘joy interrupted’, Demi continued: ‘There’s nothing more freeing for me than to be unattached to a role that society wants me to play. I fully believe that gender is just another boundary that separates humanity from divine wisdom.’
Photographer: Rich Fury
Provider: Getty Images for OBB Media
Source: Getty Images North America
This comes two months after Demi confirmed that they were pansexual, joking that they were ‘part of the alphabet mafia’ and that they ‘like anything, really’.
Telling Howard Stern that they saw adoption in their future, the Skyscraper singer said: ‘I also don’t know if I’m going to end up with a guy, so I can’t really see myself even getting pregnant.
‘I don’t know. I’m so fluid now, and a part of the reason why I am so fluid is because I was super closeted off.’
This year, Demi was candid about suffering a near-fatal overdose in 2018 in their docuseries Dancing With The Devil.
The series also saw the star discussing their experience of sexual assault.
While promoting the show, Demi explained that their split from fiance Max Ehrich in September 2020 helped them ‘live their truth’ and embrace that they are ‘hella queer’.
