Spice Girls’ Melanie C opens up about sexuality speculation: ‘I actually love that’

Spice Girl Melanie C has said that the tabloid media’s obsession with her sexuality made feel more “affinity” with the LGBTQ+ community.

Throughout the 90s, the media feverishly speculated over Melanie C’s sexuality because of her Sporty Spice image.

“That really signifies how we’ve changed as a culture, doesn’t it? Because it was almost like it was an accusation of being gay,” the singer told The Times.

“A lot of it was judged on my appearance, which is an outdated notion, thank goodness.”

Melanie C said, however, that she’s grateful for the speculation because it brought her closer to the LGBTQ+ community – she’s now a regular on the Pride circuit, and even toured the world with drag troupe Sink The Pink.

“I actually love that [it happened] now because it gives me this affinity with the gay community,” she explained.

The Spice Girls performing with Mel C on the far right (Mick Hutson/Redferns)

In the same interview, Melanie C revealed that the Spice Girls had “physical scraps” as she recalled the girl band’s early days.

She recalled how during a fight with Mel B (Scary Spice), Geri Horner (then Halliwell) was accidentally hit in the face.

“I can see us in our fluffy white robes at the Four Seasons in LA, and me and Melanie were getting a bit ‘grr grr grr’ after a night”

She continued: “We’d come back to the bar, we were on the port, so it was obviously one of those nights where there had been quite a few beverages.

“And Geri, trying to keep the peace and keep us apart, ended up getting clocked in the face.”

Spice Girls photographed backstage at the Brit Awards in February 1997. (Ray Burmiston/Photoshot/Getty)

Despite recent sources suggesting that the Spice Girls have split professionally – again – Melanie C, 48, said: “We’re just at a point where we really respect each other.”

With Geri having recently come under fire for cosying up to former culture secretary Nadine Dorries, Melanie C described herself “as a bit of a lefty”, noting that all the Spice Girl “feel quite differently”.

“Where do you find a group of five people with the same political views? Unless they’re all working for the same party.”

Geri and Melanie C rehearsing for the Spice Girls 2019 tour. (Instagram)

Geri famously described Margaret Thatcher as the “first Spice Girl” and the band as “true Thatcherites” in a Spectator interview in 1996, and reportedly told now prime minister Liz Truss to “go for it” as she vied for the Tory leadership.

• Dec 31 2024

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