Alicia Keys Femininity Hidden After Street Harassment: Denying Gay Rumors, Keys Shares New Anthem ‘28000 Days’ [Video]

Alicia Keys hid her femininity for years by turning to tomboy fashion and avoiding makeup. Recently, however, Alicia has swapped those baggy boy jeans for more traditional women’s attire and shown her full beauty. And now, Keys is revealing the reason why she disguised her femininity, noted the Hollywood Reporter.

A victim of street harassment, Alicia recalled feeling embarrassed by unsolicited catcalls from men.

“I definitely started hiding when I got old enough to walk down my NY streets alone. I started to notice a drastic difference in how men would relate to me if I had on jeans, or if I had on a skirt, or if my hair was done pretty,” Keys blogged recently. “I could tell the difference, I could feel the animal instinct in them and it scared me. I didn’t want to be talked to in that way, looked at in that way, whistled after, followed.”

Hiding the femininity that Alicia linked to that response, she carefully selected outfits and hairstyles to downplay her appearance.

“[I wore] baggy jeans and timbs, I chose the ponytail and hat, I chose no makeup, no bright color lipstick or pretty dresses. I chose to hide. Pieces at a time. Less trouble that way.”

But Keys then discovered that some were questioning her sexuality, with gay rumors circulating.

“People started calling me gay and hard and I wasn’t gay,” emphasized Alicia.

Gradually, Keys enhanced her appearance but still refrained from showing her full femininity, reported MTV News.

“I put on dresses and didn’t braid my whole head up, so people could see more of the ‘real’ me, even though at that point I’m sure I was more confused than ever of what the real me was,” admitted Alicia in her blog.

But Keys, who also felt judged for her intelligence, has decided to stop disguising herself, from her mind to her body.

“I don’t have to hide anymore, I don’t have to pretend and hold back, I don’t have to think that my intelligence, beauty and sensuality are intimidating to others,” asserted the “Girl On Fire” singer. “I don’t have to think my silliness, clumsiness, or Hallmark card optimism, is something I can’t be proud of! Who cares????!!!! You are allowed to be smart. You are allowed to be tough […] You are allowed to be yourself!!”

Alicia sent the world her blog link with a note about her new song, “28,000 Days,” and a picture showing her true strength.

“I only got 28,000 of those days. So what the F**K am I waiting for?? ;-)”

As the Inquisitr reported, TV’s newest Supergirl, Melissa Benoist, just shared her own views on femininity.

“I grew up as a dancer, so it feels like a leotard and skirt and tights that I wore when I was a ballerina,” revealed Benoist. “What I think is cool is to try to bring kind of a femininity to her strength. You see Superman and it’s obviously this solid thing. But I do like the idea of bringing in like a grace to it. And a fluidity and kind of this femininity to flying. It’s fun.”

[Image via Alicia Keys / Twitter]