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Helen Mirren doesn’t believe in binary ideas of male and female – ’We're all somewhere in the middle’

British actress Helen Mirren presents a creation for L'Oreal during the Women's Spring-Summer 2020 Ready-to-Wear collection fashion show at the Monnaie de Paris, in Paris on September 28, 2019. (Photo by Lucas BARIOULET / AFP)        (Photo credit should read LUCAS BARIOULET/AFP/Getty Images)
Helen Mirren says she does not believe in 'binary sexuality'. [Photo: Getty]

Dame Helen Mirren has said she doesn’t believe in binary conceptions of gender.

The 74-year-old actor dismissed a “black and white” conception of male and female, and claims she has a lot of male qualities herself.

"I came to the conclusion an awfully long time ago that there is black and there is white, and we're all somewhere in the middle in a wonderful mix of male and female,” she said in an interview with Radio Times magazine. "There is no such thing as binary sexuality, when you're male or female. I don't believe that at all."

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The Oscar-winning actor – who last week arrived at the premiere of her upcoming film, ‘Catherine the Great’, carried on an ornate, glass litter, also told the publication she has “a lot of what people might call male qualities”.

"I hate talking about my feelings, I never want to go to the doctor and I'm a brilliant map-reader,” she explained, although she conceded “I certainly look like a woman."

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Dame Helen Mirren attends the "Catherine The Great" UK TV Premiere at The Curzon Mayfair on September 25, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage)
Dame Helen Mirren attends the "Catherine The Great" UK TV Premiere at The Curzon Mayfair on September 25, 2019 in London, England. [Photo: Getty]

Later on, Mirren was quizzed on her views regarding the transgender community, and was asked whether she agreed with the views of Australian feminist Germaine Greer on transgender people. Greer previously said in a BBC Newsnight interview that transgender women as “not women”.

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To this question, Mirren responded: “Do you mean Germaine Greer saying women are women and men are men? Well, she didn’t quite say that but if being a TERF [trans-exclusionary radical feminist] is not accepting that trans women are women then I’m not a TERF,’ she added.

Celebrities are increasingly speaking out to broaden societal attitudes around gender.

Australian writer Germaine Greer  speaks during the Jaipur Literature Festival 2019, at Diggi Palace in Jaipur ,Rajasthan,India Jan 27,2019.(Photo By Vishal Bhatnagar/NurPhoto via Getty Images) (Photo by Vishal Bhatnagar/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Helen Mirren does not agree with radical feminist Germaine Greer's opinions on transgender. [Photo: Getty]
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 19: Sam Smith attends the LA Premiere of Roadside Attraction's "Judy" at Samuel Goldwyn Theater on September 19, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
Celebrities such as Sam Smith, pictured here at the LA Premiere of 'Judi', are challenging preconceptions around gender. [Photo: Getty[

Last month, Sam Smith – who identifies as gender-non-binary and prefers to be referred to as “they” rather than “he” – wore heels to the star-studded premiere of ‘Judy’ in Beverly Hills.

Then there was ‘Queer Eye’ star Jonathan Van Ness, who was dubbed a 'queen' for his gender-fluid VMAs look in August this year.