Demi Lavato Announces They’re Nonbinary
Wednesday, May 19, after major self reflection and healing, artist Demi Lavato came out as nonbinary and told fans they now use they/them pronouns. Earlier this year, Lavato came out as pansexual, announcing that they were attracted to men, women, and “anything” in between. Prior to coming out, they’ve always been a dedicated advocate of the LGBTQ community.
A few LGBTQ advocacy group leaders of GLAAD responded positively to Lovato’s announcement.
“Demi has always been one of the loudest and proudest advocates for LGBTQ people and issues. In sharing their story today, they will educate countless people around the world and reach other nonbinary people with a message of Pride,” GLAAD’s Head of Talent Anthony Ramos said in a statement.
“Thank you for sharing your authentic self with the world,” GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a tweet.
Lavato understands this will be a huge shift for fans who’ve been around since the start, but they hope fans will be inclusive of their identity. Demi once described themself as “super closeted off” and says their new pronouns “feel right.”
“I know that being in my position, it’s going to take a while for people to get used to. I just want them to be making the effort. I think it’s important because I want to use these pronouns that feel right to me. I also just don’t want people to be so afraid of messing up that they don’t try to use them,” Lavato says.
They disclosed recently in their new docuseries on YouTube, Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil, that early on in life, they found themselves attracted to women, but due to their upbringing felt too ashamed to act on their feelings.
Lavato says, “Any attraction that I ever had toward a female at a young age, I shut it down before I even let myself process what I was feeling. I felt a lot of shame because growing up in Texas as a Christian, that’s very frowned upon.”
Demi no longer will be conforming to “gender norms”; they’re expressing themself fluidly and authentically. “I’ve always known I was hella queer, but I have fully embraced it,” Lavato says.
View this post on Instagram
Image courtesy of Demi Lavato’s Facebook page.
What's Your Reaction?
