Demi Lovato says that they were prevented from coming out as non-binary sooner by the patriarchy.

Earlier this month, the singer posted a video to social media announcing that they had been re-examining their gender identity and would be using they/them pronouns from now on.

Speaking to Jane Fonda as part of Greenpeace’s Fire Drill Fridays series, Lovato said they had been “held back” by the patriarchy and its determination to keep people “in a box”.

“If I had listened to the patriarchy, my life would have never changed. My gender, my pronouns would have never changed,” they said.

“I realised… after years of living my life for other people, trying to make myself smaller for the patriarchy, because they run the industry, they are at the centre of everything.”

They continued: “When I realised that, I thought, ‘What are the ways that the patriarchy has been holding me back?’ And for me, it was putting me in a box, telling [me], ‘You are a female, this is what you’re supposed to like, this is what you’re supposed to do, don’t dream bigger and don’t speak louder.’”

The singer said that that hadn’t “vibed” with the idea because they were too “outspoken”.

Originally announcing their non-binary identity, Lovato said that they felt they/them pronouns “best represent the fluidity that I feel in my gender expression, and allows me to feel most authentic and true to the person I both know I am, and still am discovering”.