Utada Hikaru, the iconic voice behind some of the popular songs in video games, reveals themselves as non-binary.
As posted on Instagram under the username kuma_power, the prominent singer shares their sentiment about labeling. Particularly, about choosing between “miss” or “missus”.
Coming Out of the Closet
In their revelation, they disclosed how they find the question discomforting. Specifically, at being given an option that’s rigid to just marital status or sex, to which they neither relate. Hikaru added that they felt misrepresenting themselves whenever the subject is in question, given the narrow choices.
The celebrity musician lamented for an alternative option to attribute themselves with. That is, one that would relate to “any gender or social standing”. One that would apply to anybody without the bias of the stereotypical male or female.
Utada Hikaru also mentions how they came across the label “Mx.” (reads as “mix”). Seemingly an unpopular terminology, it aims to address people in neutral terms. The kind that she longs for, hopes to become widespread in adoption, and one that comes “too late”.
Pride Day
Utada Hikaru’s sudden coming out of the closet only comes off fitting as the rest of the world celebrates “Pride Day” that day.
The singer has also previous engagement on the subject of LGBTQ via the 2016 song, Tomodachi. In it was a depiction of how a homosexual fell in love with a heterosexual friend.
Utada Hikaru was a US-born Japanese singer who rose to prominence following a music career in Tokyo. She was the voice behind First Love and a slew of Kingdom Hearts music, like Sanctuary and Simple and Clean.
Ancient History of Non-binary
The concept of non-binary sexual orientation may have come off as a relatively fresh idea. With the usage of the term appearing only in recent years. But the idea of a “third gender” is argued to date as far back as early civilization.
In India, there is an ancient record that depicts the presence of the trans women community, referred to as Hijra. Fundamentally rooted in Hinduism, the Hijras draw significance in the fusion between two deities, Shiva and Parvati, forging the androgynous Ardhanari.
The rest of the world may not share the same belief. However, there’s a commonality to be found in wanting to establish a different classification. One that doesn’t fit the mold of the traditional male or female distinction.
Image used courtesy of Hikaru Utada/YouTube Screenshot