The latest interview with the renowned actress Olivia Colman was all about promoting her new film, ‘Jimpa‘. But one personal comment quickly grabbed attention with its headline.
After the British star described herself while talking about gender identity, a Scottish lesbian group publicly criticised her, saying the remark hurt people whose lives have involved real struggles around sexuality.
LGBTQ+ Group Calls Out Olivia Colman’s Gender Identity Revelation
While speaking about ‘Jimpa‘ with Them, Colman opened up about how she has always seen herself. The 52-year-old Oscar winner said she has “always felt sort of non-binary” and never felt very feminine.
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She also shared something she often tells her husband, Ed Sinclair, whom she has been married to for more than 25 years. Colman said she jokes to him, “I’ve always described myself as a gay man,” and he usually responds, “Yeah, I get that.”
That line caused backlash from Scottish lesbian group The Fantastic Lesbians. In a two-page open letter posted on X, the group said her words were “deeply painful” and felt dismissive of real experiences lived by lesbian and gay people.
The group explained that when someone who has lived openly as heterosexual says they identify as gay, it can hurt people who faced fear, confusion, and rejection while coming out.
The Scottish Lesbian Group Explains Why Colman’s Comment Was Hurtful
The group stressed that sexuality is not simply a label for many people but a difficult journey. Some individuals, they said, face rejection from family members or faith communities when they accept who they are. They drew a contrast of this with heterosexual life, which they said is socially affirmed, supported in the media, reinforced by expectations, and rarely questioned.
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Straight people, they added, usually do not have to come out or justify their relationships. Because of that difference, the spokesperson said comments like Colman’s can minimise real struggles. They clarified they were not attacking her personally but expressing their concern. They added that living openly as gay has required courage and sacrifice in ways heterosexual life has not demanded.
Colman made the remarks while discussing ‘Jimpa‘, in which she plays a mother travelling to Amsterdam with her non-binary child to visit the child’s gay grandfather. During the discussion, she also said she has had arguments about gender identity throughout her life and has never strongly identified with traditional femininity.
The film has already generated other headlines. But, for now, the spotlight remains on Colman’s gender comments.
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