Star Wars Icon Billy Dee Williams Explains Why He Uses Both “Himself” and “Herself” – Does Not Describe Himself as Gender Fluid

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Dec 2, 2019

Star Wars icon Billy Dee Williams continued to make the press rounds for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

In a recent interview with Esquire to promote the film, Williams, who reprises his role as Lando Calrissian, refers to himself as both “himself” and “herself.”

Esquire writer Matt Miller begins his piece with a quote from Williams who says, “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.”

Later on in the interview, Williams would explain why he uses himself and herself.

“And you see I say ‘himself’ and ‘herself,’ because 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.”

Despite numerous outlets taking this quote and describing Williams as gender fluid, he doesn’t actually describe himself as gender fluid or even hint at being gender fluid.

Williams merely says he sees himself as “feminine as well as masculine.” He doesn’t say he sometimes identifies as a female or a male. Saying you have feminine traits and describing yourself as a female are two different things.

Esquire writer Matt Miller is the one who uses gender fluidity in the article.

He writes, “When I point out that Donald Glover talked about that type of gender fluidity when playing a young Lando in 2018’s Solo, Williams lights up.”

Williams responds saying, “Really? That kid is brilliant—just look at those videos.” Again he doesn’t say anything about gender fluidity.

And as for Glover’s comments. He doesn’t talk about gender fluidity at all. He talks about Lando being pansexual when he was specifically asked about Jon Kasdan’s comments about the character and if he knew Lando was pansexual when they were filming the movie.

Glover responds, “Yea. How can you not be pansexual in space? There are so many things to have sex with. I’m serious. I didn’t think that was that weird. He’s coming on to everybody.”

He added, “It didn’t seem that weird to me. If you are in space the door is open. It’s not like he’s just like ‘Only guys or girls.” No, it’s anything. This thing is literally a blob. ‘Are you a man or a woman?’ Who cares?”

Williams did thank Miller and Esquire for the piece on Twitter. He wrote, “Well, isn’t this lovely Matt Miller and Aaron Richter! Thank you Esquire for a wonderful walk down memory lane.”

What do you make of Billy Dee Williams’ explanation about why he uses himself and herself?

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