Eddie Izzard, the legendary comedian and actor who’s fond of history, digressions, and James Mason impersonations, has always pushed gender fluidity. She’s a transvestite, not a cross-dresser, and she’s often performed her beloved shows in a dress, and has long called herself a “male transvestite.” That changed recently when Izzard went one step further, declaring that her pronouns are now she/her.
Izzard made the news public last week while sitting in for Sky Arts’ Portrait Artist Of The Year, in which various celebrities pose for portraits, ending in a competition. She was being drawn by artist Curtis Holder — who won, by the way — and while his subject sat, she discussed her new transition.
“I try to do things that I think are interesting, and this is the first program I’ve asked if I can be she and her. A little transition period,” Izzard told Holder, who then asked her how her new status feels. “Well it feels great, because people just assume that they just know me from before, but I’m gender fluid. I just want to be based in girl mode from now on.”
Izzard — whose 1999 show Dress to Kill is truly among the great stand-up specials, teeming with untold quotables — was showered with online support.
Eddie Izzard. I love her so much. That’s it. That’s the tweet.
https://t.co/rpNmuCXjKq
— Charlotte Clymer
(@cmclymer) December 20, 2020
I’m so glad I was introduced to Eddie Izzard’s standup as a kid. She taught me so much about the weirdness and fluidity of gender presentation at an age when I really needed to see that. Dressed to Kill is one of my favorite specials, one I quote with my family constantly.
— ella dawson (@brosandprose) December 20, 2020
Eddie Izzard is an absolute comic genius, a great heart who does amazing charity work AND an actual superhero (google her name + ‘marathons’) and I will call her whatever she wants
— Bill Corbett (@BillCorbett) December 20, 2020
Eddie Izzard has always been, and will always be, a trans legend of epic proportions. Can’t wait to see what she does next.
— CN Lester (@cnlester) December 20, 2020
Eddie Izzard is the best and she’ll always be one of the funniest people alive. pic.twitter.com/DVoxlTrTOQ
— WaspMovieZone (@CelluloidHoax) December 20, 2020
Good for Eddie Izzard asking for the pronouns she/her to be used so publicly. As far as I can gather, she isn’t a trans woman – she’s gender fluid – but prefers the feminine pronoun. Good for her.
— shon faye. (@shonfaye) December 19, 2020
She also received a lot of pushback from transphobes.
I woke up to see #EddieIzzard trending & feared the worst.
I was delighted to see that she’s living her best life & it’s just some keyboard crybabies melting down over her pronouns. pic.twitter.com/03cp0rgyqA
— Aethon’sArmory (@AethonS) December 20, 2020
But those who know her know that this is an organic transition from something she’s been doing her entire career.
Eddie Izzard, for decades: *Is genderfluid* *describes self as male lesbian* *wears a vast array of feminine styles and make up*
Eddie Izzard, in 2020: My pronouns are she/her
The world: WHAT!? THIS IS A TOTAL SHOCK!! HOW VERY DARE YOU!! #GetOverIt #LoveYouEddieIzzard pic.twitter.com/9fnIzPqusA
— Kate Alton (@KateAltonWrites) December 20, 2020
(Via EW)