Demi Lovato isn’t putting restrictions on how they might identify themselves in the future. The singer came out as nonbinary in May, but during The 19th Represents Summit, Lovato explained how they are on a gender “journey forever.”
“There might be a time where I identify as trans. I don’t know what this looks like for me,” the 28-year-old shared, via Just Jared. “There might be a time where I identify as non-binary and gender nonconforming my entire life. Or maybe there’s a period of time when I get older that I identify as a woman, I don’t know what that looks like, but for me, in this moment right now, this is how I identify. And I have a feeling that it’s not going to ever go back to one way or the other, but I just, it’s about keeping it open and free and just I’m a very fluid person, and so that goes with how I express myself as well.”
Lovato, who uses they/them pronouns, was one of Thursday’s speakers during the weeklong summit that explores why representation matters in democracy, sports, business, culture and voting. The “Sorry Not Sorry” singer opened up about how the coronavirus pandemic played a part in their coming out journey.
“So, it’s interesting, because in the beginning it had nothing to do with it, or I would say. But actually it had everything to do with it, because in the beginning, going into March of 2020, I was starting to identify as nonbinary. And then I met someone and I got into this straight relationship, and that was great, but that led me to ignoring all the parts of myself that I didn’t think were digestible for my partner at the time, who ended up becoming my fiancé,” they explained.
Lovato called off their engagement to actor Max Ehrich in September 2020 after seven months together. The superstar now views “the dissolvement of that relationship” as “probably the best thing that’s happened to me, because of what that led inside of myself.”
“I was able to stand on my own two feet without needing someone else to validate me or to make me feel accepted. And when I said goodbye to that relationship, I also said goodbye to everything that was holding me back from being my most authentic self,” they continued. “And I really started to identify with close friends and family as nonbinary towards the end of last year. And yeah, it was the dissolvement of all things that had held me back from identifying as the person I do today.”
Lovato admitted they were “very nervous” about coming out publicly.
“I didn’t want people to feel it’s inauthentic by any means,” they added.
