This article has been updated since it was first published.
Sam Smith wants to be referred to by the gender-neutral pronouns "they" or "them."
"After a lifetime of being at war with my gender I’ve decided to embrace myself for who I am, inside and out," they wrote in an Instagram post. "I’m so excited and privileged to be surrounded by people that support me in this decision but I’ve been very nervous about announcing this because I care too much about what people think but f**k it!
"I understand there will be many mistakes and mis gendering but all I ask is you please please try. I hope you can see me like I see myself now. Thank you."
Smith – who ended their message with a plea to "be kind" – is receiving plenty of support in the comments section of their Instagram post – as well as some criticism. "Seriously this is insane," one person wrote. "I am an English teacher and there is no way I am going to confuse kids with this nonsense. English has been around for centuries and there are numerous words to choose from. This is just stupid."
The announcement came shortly after British tabloid The Sun quoted a “pal” of the 27-year-old singer as saying: “This is a decision Sam has thought long and hard about … he knows that it will take some people longer than others to fully get it.”
After radio host James Barr referred to Smith as “they” and “themselves” in a Sept. 9 tweet, Smith replied: “You’re one of the first people to use these pronouns with me. Thank you. That feels really beautiful.”
Back in March, Smith opened up about gender identity on an episode of Jameela Jamil’s Instagram series.
“Maybe I’m not a man, maybe I’m not a woman, and maybe that’s okay,” they said. “I am not male or female. I think I float somewhere in between — somewhat on the spectrum.
“I’ve sometimes sat there and questioned, do I want a sex change? It’s something I still think about, but I don’t think it is.”