AceShowbiz - Melanie C a.k.a. Mel C never wanted people to think she was "offended" by rumors about her sexuality. The 48-year-old singer has never taken her fans from the LGBTQ+ community for granted, and she didn't want fans to think she was offended by suggestions that she's a lesbian.

Mel, who shot to fame as part of the Spice Girls in the 90s, shared, "I've always been sensitive around it because I've never wanted people to think I was offended by people assuming I was gay."

The Spice Girls have a big following among the LGBTQ+ community, and Mel admits that the group made a conscious decision to make their messaging more about "inclusivity." The "Wannabe" hitmaker told Attitude magazine, "All the Spice Girls have always been aware of the support from the LGBTQI community. We've never taken it for granted. Back then, it was very apparent we had many young gay male fans, including some who hadn't come out or fully understood who they were. We really quickly wanted to change tack, from screaming about Girl Power, to being about inclusivity."

Mel suspects that the speculation about her sexuality was partially fuelled by her Sporty Spice persona. The pop star is a big soccer fan but Mel feels that the men's game could actually "learn so much from the female game."

Mel, who received an Honorary Gay accolade at the Attitude Awards at The Roundhouse in London on Wednesday, October 12, said, "In this country's backward cultural way, it's, 'Oh, she likes football, she must be gay.' Well, some are, some aren't. But the ones that are, are out. The men's game, different, I know; it's such a masculine, macho environment, steeped in tradition, could learn so much from the female game."