Billy Dee Williams Clarifies ‘Feminine’ & ‘Masculine’ Comments, Was Unaware What Gender Fluid Meant: I’m Not Gay By Any Stretch Of The Imagination
Billy Dee Williams Clarifies ‘Feminine’ & ‘Masculine’ Comments, Was Unaware What Gender Fluid Meant: I’m Not Gay By Any Stretch Of The Imagination
Billy Dee Williams is clarifying his remarks about how he identifies himself. Earlier this month, the 82-year-old “Star Wars” star made headlines when he stated that he uses “himself” and “herself” to refer to himself.
In a new interview, Billy Dee Williams said he wasn’t familiar with the term and that his initial comments were simply misunderstood.
Billy Dee says that when he became aware of how his comments went viral, he asked someone,
“What the hell is gender fluid?”
After understanding he stated,
“What I was talking about was about men getting in touch with their softer side of themselves. There’s a phrase that was coined by Carl G. Jung … that’s ‘Anima animus.’ And anima means that is the female counterpart of the male self and the animus is the male counterpart of the female.”
He continued,
“So that’s what I was referring to. I was talking about men getting in touch with the female side of themselves. I wasn’t talking about sex, I wasn’t talking about gay or straight.”
He added,
I’m not gay — by any stretch of the imagination. Not that I have anything against gay people. But personally? Not gay.
Previously, Billy Dee told Esquire:
“I never tried to be anything except myself. I think of myself as a relatively colorful character who doesn’t take himself or herself too seriously. I also see myself as feminine as well as masculine. I’m a very soft person. I’m not afraid to show that side of myself.”
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