Straight Singer Sharleen Spiteri Unbowed by 'Homophobic Abuse' for Short Hair

Homophobic trolls unable to look past Sharleen Spiteri's short hairstyle are attacking her with "homophobic abuse," the Scottish singer says.

Spiteri, who is supportive of the queer community, is the lead singer of the band Texas. She has been married to celebrity chef Bryn Williams since 2018, and was previously in a long-term relationship with Ashley Heath, who is the father of her daughter.

Spiteri "discussed the 'out of order' comments," UK newspaper the Daily Mail relayed, following her recognition as an "Inspirational Ally" at the Metro Pride Awards.

After Spiteri "was presented with the Inspirational Ally award by her friend John Bishop" at the publication's awards, she "spoke about the importance of celebrating and uplifting the LGBTQ+ community in her acceptance speech," Metro recounted,

"You get people saying really stupid things like, 'Oh yeah, you have short hair'," Spiteri told Metro after her receiving the award. "Like, crazy shit. 'Oh, you must be a lesbian. You've got short hair.' I'm like, 'Are you fucking crazy?'"

Summing up her response to such comments, she said: "Just because I look a certain way or dress a certain way, because I'm a strong female, you're assuming?"

"Sharleen has detailed in the past how music industry bosses told her to change the way she looks, and said people assume she is a lesbian because she has short hair," the Mail recollected.

But the ignorant words of trolls don't bother the 57-year-old "Black Eyed Boy" singer; she told Metro, "I think I manage to stand up for myself big time."

If Spiteri is an ardent supporter of her gay fans now, it's at least in part because of the support and encouragement that the gay community gave her when she was younger and found herself being "really badly bullied at school because I was not one of the many cute girls... and had different ideas.

"I liked my music. I liked my records. I liked collecting records, I played guitar, all those things, and I didn't really fit in," Spiteri recalled. "And because I didn't fit in, you know, it was, it was a hard ride."

She found her way to the supportive queer community by becoming a hairdresser "and then came across all my gay friends that used to, like, dress me up... and we had the best time ever."

Spiteri went on to add that her gay friends "gave me the bravery to accept that I really didn't want to fit, which was great.

"I found my tribe," the "Say What You Want" singer added. "Yeah, I found my people. I found the place that I was most comfortable and was allowed to be me and be myself.

"And that didn't have to be – which is really important to say – is I didn't have to be gay, and I didn't have to be acting a certain way, be a certain way."

In other words, she was welcomed for who she is by an inclusive community.