"God just hit factory reset now": Sam Smith fisherthem controversy explained as viral video sparks wild reactions

Sam Smith seems to be the topic of conversation online in recent days. After their controversial Grammy performance, a clip of them sharing their interest in fishing has resurfaced online. During an interview, the 30-year-old singer referred to a fisherman as “fisherthem,” which has sparked wild reactions online.

During an interview with BBC’s The One Show, Sam Smith was asked about fishing as a hobby. To ensure that they did not embarrass the journalist for misgendering them, they corrected the presenter who was asking them whether they would like to be a fly fisherman.

The award-winning artist went on to say- “I do love fishing, yes! Yeah, I’d love to be a fisherthem.” Sam Smith went on to add:

"Looks like aliens indeed arrived": Netizens react to Sam Smith using the word "fisherthem"

Despite people being accepted for being queer and non-binary worldwide, it seems that several netizens did not feel the same about Smith. Many seemingly appeared exasperated by the Stay With Me singer proudly embracing their gender identity.

Some of the many who disagreed with the singer were controversial British journalist Piers Morgan. While sharing a video of Sam Smith saying “fisherthem” on Twitter, Morgan wrote in a tweet:

Several other netizens echoed the same sentiments. Many had wild reactions to Smith changing the word “fisherman” into something more appropriate for them. A few reactions read:

It is important to note that the word “fisherthem” is not part of the Oxford dictionary.

Sam Smith announced that he was genderqueer in 2019

In September 2019, the Grammy-winner took to social media to share their preferred pronouns, revealing that they decided to come out as non-binary “after a lifetime of being at war with [their] gender.”

They went on to share that they wanted to embrace themselves for who they are “inside and out," adding:

Smith is not the only celebrity who is breaking the gender mold. My Policeman actor Emma Corrin changed their bio to “they/she” on Instagram in July 2021, Janelle Monáe came out as non-binary in January 2020 after sharing a tweet which read- “Are you a boy or a girl? I’m an experience.”

The Hate U Give actor Amandla Stenberg came out as non-binary in a 2016 Tumblr post, and The Fosters star Tom Phelan also confirmed on social media that they were non-binary.

These are just a few celebrities amongst many who are boldly embracing authenticity and encouraging others to do so too.

About the author

Karishma is a trending writer at SK POP. With a BA in Journalism, Psychology and Literature, Karishma, who has closely followed the latest internet trends from a young age, found her role at SK POP to be the perfect fit for her professional qualifications and personal interests.

She has nearly 3 years of experience in the industry and has interned with The Hindu and Deccan Herald. In her role at Sportskeeda, Karishma covers a range of topics at the pop division, but she believes her skills as a journalist are best reflected while creating impactful and research-intensive stories. For her, no other step in the writing process is as crucial as fact-checking with multiple sources and accurately conveying facts and data.

Karishma holds deep admiration for artists Luke Jerram and Yoshitomo Nara's authenticity and originality, who are her favorite icons. When not ideating her next story, Karishma can be seen deeply engrossed in a book.

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