No, Sam Smith hasn’t come out as ‘semibisexual’ – it’s a ‘joke’ LGBTQ+ identity invented by a troll

Sam Smith is at the centre of another case of online misinformation, this time, claims that they are “semibisexual.”

The 32-year-old “Unholy” hit maker is the subject of a Facebook post that claims they have come out as semibisexual, which is untrue.

In 2019, Smith came out as non-binary and changed their pronouns to they/them.

The post was shared to the UK-based Wakefield News page, which has 43 thousand followers and declares itself: “A news page for people who like a laugh. Nothing on this page is serious. Parody account.”

The page shares transphobic rhetoric regularly. Another recent post reads: “FFS. The world has gone mad. Now NHS staff have to ask men if they are pregnant or face the sack,” while others mock the appearance of trans women.

The viral post on Wakefield News, shared on 13 August, reads: “Sam Smith has come out as ‘semibisexual’.

“The singer has explained that semibisexual means someone who is bisexual but is attracted to only one gender.”

Despite the fact this is an unsubstantiated claim by an obvious parody account, the (almost 5000) comments under the post are a predictable cesspit of anti-LGBTQ+ hatred. It has also been shared 6500 times.

What does semibisexual mean?

Semibisexual is defined as a person who considers themselves to be “partially bisexual”; it was actually invented by a Tumblr troll to mock the LGBTQ+ community.

According to sexuality wiki, “the term was coined by a satirical Tumblr blog as a mockery of neolabels, microlabels and MOGAI identities. That is why the term remains controversial.”

A “semibisexual” individual may feel sexual attraction towards one gender (usually the opposite).

Someone who only feels sexual attraction towards the opposite gender is usually referred to as heterosexual.

In contrast, bisexuality is commonly defined to be having an emotional, romantic and/or sexual attractions to more than one sex or gender.

The description goes on to read that “very few” people have claimed this identity as a genuine experience. 

Smith has repeatedly been the target of online trolls purposefully targeting their gender and sexuality.

Previously, Smith has been labelled “satanic” for their raunchy performances, and faced bigots’ hate head on.