Sam Smith was spat at in the street after changing their pronouns.
During an interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe, the Unholy singer was asked to reflect on the highs and lows they have experienced since they came out as non-binary and changed their pronouns to they/them in 2019.
"I think the only negatives and the struggle have been in my public life and my job. And just the amount of hate and s**tness (sic) that came my way was just exhausting and it was really hard," Sam said, before admitting that they can avoid hate online but not in person.
"I can deal with not Googling myself, not reading comments, that's something I can control. What people don't realise with trans (or) non-binary people in the U.K. is it's happening in the street," they continued. "Like, I'm being abused in the street verbally more than I ever have... Someone spat at me in the street. It's crazy."
The 30-year-old confessed that the harassment is worse in their native England and they feel more able to dress how they please in New York and Los Angeles.
"What I find hard about it is it's like, if that's happening to me and I'm famous, I'm a pop star, can you imagine what other kids, like queer kids, are feeling? And it's just so sad that we're in 2023 and it's still happening. It's exhausting," they stated.
On the flipside, Sam noted they have experienced no negatives in their personal life - their relationship with their family and their love life have improved and they feel more comfortable in their own skin.
"I wish I knew what the words were when I was in school because I would've identified as that in school. Because it is who I am and it's who I've always been," they added.
