Sting’s daughter Eliot Sumner has discussed her gender identity and sexuality in an interview explaining why she eschews labelling either aspect of herself.
Sumner, 25, signed her first record deal at 17 and is releasing her new album, Information, in January 2016. She is also about to be named as the face of a major international brand.
Speaking to the Evening Standard, Sumner, who has also gone by the name Coco, described identifying as gender fluid, joining a number of stars including Ruby Rose who do not identify as exclusively male or female.The gender fluid movement has become increasingly visible in 2015, in part thanks to the high profile figures such as Miley Cyrus, the model Andreja Pejic, Jaden Smith and many others rejecting ‘boy/girl’ labels and stereotypically gendered dress.
Instead of identifying as either side of the gender binary, Sumner simply described herself as a “musician”.
“We should treat everybody the same," she said. "Me, I don’t like to be put down to a specific thing. We’re all human beings.”
Sumner echoed a similar sentiment to that shared by the gay actress Holland Taylor on coming out, who derided the expectation that gay or bisexual people should make a grand 'coming out' gesture.
"It's regarded as something people who are not mainstream have to do, Taylor told WYNC. "Watch me if you wanna see how I live."
Explaining she never ‘officially’ came out, Sumner said: “No one had ever asked”.
“They [my friends and family] knew already. So I didn’t need to. I’ve never come out to anyone. My friends always knew and I always knew."
