Upon coming out last year as non-binary with an Instagram post wearing a chest binder, Emma Corrin faced a mix of supportive comments to a hateful backlash. In an interview with Vanity Fair, The Crown star shared their shock about the negative reactions.
“It took me aback how much hate I got for that. It was quite a reality check.”
Still, when people of the LGBT community come out, especially celebrities, it can inspire others. Emma Corrin did recognize the positives that occurred when they opened up about being non-binary. Some fans, “it did help,” that the star saw in the comments to the Instagram post. By normalizing it as they talk about their identity, they see how constructive it can be. Those who were empathetic or helped by their announcement are “keeping my social media at the moment.”
“It does help a lot of people to see someone living as a non-binary person in the world.”
Emma Corrin reacts to the backlash against coming out as non-binary
People, especially young people under 30, have opened up conversations around sexuality and gender. In a study from Pew Research, about 5% of adults under 30 identify as non-binary or transgender, meaning they identify differently than their assigned gender at birth. The rise of people being upfront about their gender identity has seen violence and oppressive legislation from lawmakers around the world.
Emma Corrin came out as non-binary as their career started to take off. When making their debut in 2017, the star got attention from their portrayal of Princess Diana in The Crown. They have also starred in Pennyworth and My Policeman. Some major projects are currently lined up, including Nosferatu and Deadpool 3. They will also lead in the FX miniseries Retreat.
The star is not opposed to starring as a man or a woman. To Emma Corrin, being non-binary “is a very fluid space where it’s not a rejection of femininity or masculinity, it’s sort of an embrace of both.” They just want the industry to have a place for non-binary people, both behind and in front of the camera.