Charli XCX has doubled down on her support of Sam Smith, just days after the announcement of their first song together.
Ahead of the release ‘In the City’ (20 October), the pop songstress released a TikTok video defending Sam against an onslaught of online hate.
Charli opens the video and says: “I’m about to release a song with Sam Smith, and the experience so far has been really interesting because never in my life have I seen somebody receive so many hateful comments online.
“It’s been really disheartening, but at the same time, I’m so proud of Sam’s ability to withstand that, because I know that I certainly couldn’t withstand it.”
She closes the video with a powerful affirmation of support and validation for her co-collaborator: “So I just want to say Sam, I love you, I love our song together and I am in awe of your strength.”
Although it is not known which specific hate the video pertains to, fans were quick to join Charli in their sentiments of support for the ‘Unholy’ singer.
One fan stated: “Sam is sooooo fricken talented, it’s absurd. They deserve all the fricken love and joy the world has to offer because they provide so much to others”.
Another fan added: “I feel like that has been standard when it comes to Sam. I don’t know why? They are so amazing and iconic.”
Sam themselves have been quick to stand-up and support their LGBTQIA+ fans amid the rise of anti-trans hate in the UK, figures of which were recorded by a new statistical bulletin from the Home Office.
The bulletin published on 5 October titled ‘Hate crime, England and Wales, 2022 to 2023’ showed that overall incidents of hate crime have fallen by 5 per cent since last year – the first time the number has dropped since 2013.
However, the figures confirmed an 11 per cent rise in the number of transgender identity hate crimes recorded in 2022/23. A total figure of 4,732, the largest number since the series began in the year ending March 2012.
Sam’s solidarity comes in addition to multiple members of the Conservative Party ministers promoting anti-trans rhetoric at the Conservative Party Conference, held in Manchester from 1 to 4 October.
During the conference Health Secretary Steve Barclay used part of his speech at the Conservative Party conference to outline his agenda to ban transgender women on cis-women’s wards in the NHS.
Barclay’s claim was supported by Home Secretary Suella Braverman who told Sky News that “trans women have no place in women’s wards.”
Braverman has additionally made her own controversial comments recently when she stated that fear of being persecuted over being gay and/or a woman is not reason enough to claim asylum in the UK. A stance that has been strongly condemned.
In Sunak’s closing keynote speech at the Conservative Party Conference on Wednesday (4 October), he addressed the audience and said: “It shouldn’t be controversial for parents to know what their children are being taught in schools about relationships.
“Patients should know when the hospitals are talking about men or women. We shouldn’t get bullied into believing that people can be any sex they want to be. They can’t. A man is a man and a woman is a woman, that’s just common sense.”
Sam posted a powerful message of support on Instagram that said: “To all trans/non-binary and gender non-conforming people in the UK right now … You are not alone. Your humanity and your life MATTERS. Sending everyone of you so much love x”.
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