Industry May 1, 2026
Melissa Etheridge Recounts Magazine's Misgendering, Leading to Coming Out
The singer told Joel Madden that the purposeful misgendering inspired her to officially come out at President Bill Clinton's 1993 inauguration.
Originally published by
Billboard
Melissa Etheridge recounted an experience where a British magazine intentionally misgendered her partner, referring to them as a 'boyfriend.' This incident, which Etheridge described as horrifying, occurred before she officially came out. The misgendering by the magazine reportedly influenced her decision to come out publicly at President Bill Clinton's 1993 inauguration. Originally reported by Billboard.