Kehlani admits that being referred to by “they/them” pronouns makes a difference.
In a new interview with Byrdie, the R&B singer opened up about identifying as non-binary.
“I don’t mind when people say ‘she’ at all, but something feels really affirming when people say ‘they,'” they explained. “It feels like… you really see me.”
READ MORE: Kehlani Comes Out As Gay In TikTok Video
Kehlani, who came out as gay in a TikTok video earlier this year, added, “I wish it was more of a journey discovering how I love and what I need versus putting the emphasis on having to ‘come out’ with my sexual identity.”
Sharing two-year-old daughter Adeya with partner Javie Young-White, she said, had led them both to commit to raising their daughter in an environment that doesn’t emphasize gender.
“There’s always emphasis on the gender of those we love versus who that person is,” they said. “I just want to worry about if my kid loves a good person. Worry about the heart of the person you’re with. If my daughter doesn’t have to go through a journey to discover she’s straight then she doesn’t have to go through a journey to discover if she’s gay.”
Added Kehlani, “We raised her [to believe] there’s no difference. She sees her mommy with her girlfriend. She’s going to see her father with whoever he’s with. She’s going to see all her gay aunties and uncles and her trans aunties and uncles. Everything is normal. They’re going to have their own world. Don’t make them hateful little s**ts. Teach them to love and not judge and it’s really that simple. I don’t know how it gets so overcomplicated.”
