All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
An entire generation of queer nerds grew up playing the Kingdom Hearts games, and now we know the singer of those games' theme songs, Hikaru Utada, is one of us!
Utada, one of the most successful pop singers in Japan in the late '90s and '00s who became internationally famous for singing the theme songs to Kingdom Hearts video games like the iconic "Simple and Clean," came out as nonbinary in a recent livestream.
Their album First Love became the country's best-selling album of all time, and they have several chart-topping singles and million-selling albums. They are considered one of the most influential pop singers in Japan, with over 37 million records sold.
They first shared the news in a June 18 Instagram post where they showed a piece of paper they had signed as "Mys. Utada," short for "mystery." (Honestly, this is a galaxy brain idea for a prefix!)
"I'm sick of being asked if I'm 'Miss or Missus' or choosing between 'Miss/Mrs/Ms' for everyday things," the singer wrote on her post. "It makes me uncomfortable to be identified so markedly by my marital status or sex, and I don't relate to any of those prefixes. Every time, I feel like I'm forced to misrepresent myself. I long for an alternative option, one that anybody of any gender or social standing could use."They also acknowledged that others have come up with other gender-neutral prefixes. "...After writing thus far I looked it up and discovered that 'Mx.' (pronounced as 'mix') has been suggested! That's awesome and I hope it becomes more widely used. I'm afraid my idea for a neutral prefix has come too late..."
But honestly, Mys. is such a brilliant idea for a prefix, I wouldn't be surprised if it takes the nonbinary world by storm.
\u201cKuma-chan is Gay \n\nUtada Hikaru is Non-Binary \n\nHappy Pride Month \ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffb #PRIDE \n#HikaruUtada #\u5b87\u591a\u7530\u30d2\u30ab\u30eb\u201d— poup\u00e9e (@poup\u00e9e) 1624715046
This is especially big news for nonbinary Japanese people. With Utada coming out, Japanese news channels have been doing explainers on what nonbinary identities are, raising awareness in the country.
Congratulations to Mys. Utada, we'll play some Kingdom Hearts in your honor this week!
RELATED | Joshua Bassett Confirms He's Part of the LGBTQ+ Community
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
38 Male Celebs Who Did Full Frontal Scenes
These are all the celebrities Who came out as LGBTQ+ in 2023
These Pics Prove Maluma Has Always Been a Certified Daddy
32 LGBTQ+ Celebs You Can Follow on OnlyFans
26 actors who showed bare ass in movies & TV shows
16 Times Celebrity Men Had to Say They Weren't Gay
15 Unforgettable Gay Kissing Scenes From TV & Movies
13 Queens Who Quit or Retired From Drag After 'RuPaul's Drag Race'
40 steamy celebrity Calvin Klein ads we'll always be thirsty for
The 15 Best LGBTQ+ Movies of 2023
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Latest Stories
March 27, 2024
'Barbie' star Hari Nef is starring in a biopic about this trans legend
Alert! Lady Gaga just gave us the most substantial update on LG7 to date!
Find your perfect fit with gender-inclusive fashion from The Pride Store
The queer stars of Universal Television stun in spring menswear
With 'Hello Again,' Tig Notaro knows she's a role model for queer women
The ball's in Zendaya's court in this horny new 'Challengers' clip
'Scott Pilgrim's Satya Bhabha knows queer visibility starts on set
Joel Kim Booster talks 'Loot' & kissing his boyfriend on red carpets
'Chicago Fire's Daniel Kyri talks the 'joy' of playing an out hero on TV
Mark Indelicato teases the 'shake-up' on 'Hacks' & talks spring style
Trending stories
Most Recent
Recommended Stories for You
Mey Rude
Mey Rude is a journalist and cultural critic who has been covering queer news for a decade. The transgender, Latina lesbian lives in Los Angeles with her fiancée.
Mey Rude is a journalist and cultural critic who has been covering queer news for a decade. The transgender, Latina lesbian lives in Los Angeles with her fiancée.