Just in case you were living under a rock this past week, Demi Lovato recently came out as non-binary and changed their pronouns to they/them. Through a thread on Twitter, the popular singer-songwriter stated that their coming out had “come after a lot of healing [and] self-reflective work.” They also stated that sharing the news with their fans “opens another level of vulnerability” for them.
The singer-actor had previously come out as pansexual and queer last March, revealing in an interview that they had always known they were queer, but had to suppress it because of their circumstances.
Today is a day I'm so happy to share more of my life with you all- I am proud to let you know that I identify as non-binary & will officially be changing my pronouns to they/them moving forward 💖
— Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) May 19, 2021
With this announcement, the actor received praise and congratulatory messages from their fans, fellow singers/actors, and from LGBTQ+ advocacy group GLAAD. The advocacy group welcomed Demi Lovato stating that with their announcement, it would “help educate people around the world and reach other non-binary people with a message of pride.”
Demi Lovato had already been in the spotlight for over a decade prior to their announcement, with their breakthrough role as Mitchie Torres in Disney Channel television movie Camp Rock and Camp Rock 2, as well as their award-winning albums and singles such as Skyscraper, Heart Attack, and Sorry Not Sorry. They are also vocal with their advocacies for LGBTQ+ rights, health and mental health issues, feminism, and anti-bullying to name a few.
So, what’s so wrong with Demi Lovato that a lot of people can’t stop hating on them?
The media has been incredibly influential when it comes to the public image of artists and celebrities, all the more so if the artist/celebrity is like an open-book. Demi Lovato has always been very outspoken and candid to her fans about her struggles with her mental health and substance abuse. Most recently, Lovato had released a four-piece documentary series about their life and career, which covered a variety of topic ranging from their near-fatal overdose in 2018 to their unspoken trauma.
Back in 2018, the media heavily covered Lovato’s overdose, making them Google’s most-searched person, as well as CBS naming their overdose as the 29th biggest story of that year.
The “Sorry Not Sorry” singer has always been targeted by the media and fans of other artists for rumors and scandals about them, and yet they always address it in a diplomatic manner that they’re known for. The media has continuously sought out to paint Demi Lovato in a bad light to their audiences, even though they’ve only done nothing but be themselves and advocate for beliefs that are progressive and completely relevant to the times.
Demi Lovato is proudly non-binary — unapologetically and undeniably their own person; and as they are almost reaching their 30s, they shouldn’t be judged for their past and should be allowed to live as their own. Why do people still hate on someone who has gone through so much, and yet still lives their life as if it’s their last?
Is it because they first began as a Disney child star? Their past relationships and their recent revelation about their sexuality? Or was it because of their mental health issues and substance abuse?
To be honest, I can’t really wrap my head around the hate towards a person who’s just being themselves and are speaking their truths with no regrets. Just because they’re a public figure, doesn’t mean they have to conform to your idea of what’s right and wrong. Everyone has their own bad experiences in life, and Demi Lovato is just telling and teaching their fans that it’s okay if you go through a bad time, that it’ll be fine, and you’re perfectly fine.
I don’t find anything wrong with Demi Lovato, and although that might just be my own point of view, I think we shouldn’t just throw hate on someone trying to live their own life without any regrets. I believe that we should all try to live like them, that even though they’ve gone through the roughest times in their life, they’re still trying to live their life to the fullest.
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