Sam Smith says even they “trip up” and use the wrong pronouns sometimes

Walter PfeifferSam Smith says it’s O.K. if you forget to use their preferred pronouns of “they/them,” but it’s “important” that you try.

In an interview with Australia’s The Project, the non-binary singer admits that even they slip up now and then.

“I’ll trip up too,” Sam says. “Of course I do, I’m a human being. I’ve been called ‘he’ and ‘him’ since the day I was born, 27 years of my life, so I can understand!”

Sam says their mother will also sometimes misgender them and then get upset with herself about it.

“It’s like, ‘It’s O.K., but it is important’ — you know?” Sam says. “All I can say is, when people use my pronouns correctly, it’s a wonderful feeling. I feel safe, and I feel happy, and I feel completely seen.”

The singer, who came out as non-binary last March and officially changed pronouns last September, also speaks about the moment they realized they were non-binary: It happened while they were in Brisbane, Australia for their last tour.

“I had a massive night out at the end of the tour, and I was drunk at like 3 a.m. with my bandmates and my friends in my room,” they said.

“I had just started hearing about the term ‘non-binary,’ I had never heard it before. The pronoun thing, for me, just felt like a flag in the ground, kind of like, ‘This is how I want to be treated by everyone.’”

Over the weekend, Sam performed at Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival.

Sam Smith sat down for a chat with their number one fan, our very own @BickmoreCarrie.
We haven’t seen her since & can only assume she’s camped outside Sam’s Airbnb hoping for some more hang time. Carrie’s honoured to be able to share with you the journey Sam’s been on recently. pic.twitter.com/Yu4GH1mFqk

— The Project (@theprojecttv) February 28, 2020