Celebrities supporting their trans children: 41 stories of love
From Hollywood A-listers to politicians and sports stars, these public figures have spoken about supporting their trans or non-binary children. Their stories range from quiet affirmation to outspoken advocacy. Here are examples of what that support has looked like in public life.
Robert De Niro backs Airyn with clear words
Robert De Niro publicly said he loved and supported his child after Airyn De Niro came out as transgender in April 2025. De Niro said: “I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter.” Airyn said: “There’s a difference between being visible and being seen.”
Zaya Wade’s parents keep showing up
Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union-Wade have publicly supported their daughter Zaya Wade since she came out as transgender in 2020. They have defended Zaya’s identity in speeches, social media posts and interviews. Wade said the family moved away from Florida because they would not feel accepted there.
Charlize Theron believed Jackson from the start
Charlize Theron has spoken publicly about her daughter Jackson being transgender, including saying Jackson told her at age three: “I am not a boy.” Theron adopted Jackson in 2012, and has described listening to her child and affirming who she is.
Cher reflects on growth with Chaz Bono
Cher has spoken publicly about supporting her transgender son Chaz Bono, including discussing their relationship after his transition. In 2020, Cher said their relationship improved after she worked to understand his experience. Cher said: “Chaz was so happy.”
Jamie Lee Curtis promises to protect Ruby
Jamie Lee Curtis has publicly supported her daughter Ruby Guest after Ruby came out as transgender in 2020. Curtis said she is willing to “fight and defend” Ruby’s “right to exist”. She has also said she stands in solidarity with her children as they live as their authentic selves.
Cynthia Nixon practised pronouns for Samuel
Cynthia Nixon has spoken publicly about her son Samuel coming out as transgender while he was a university student. In 2020, Nixon said adjusting to pronouns was difficult at first but became “more natural” over time, describing it as a process of learning and getting it right.
Naomi Watts and Kai’s front-row moment
Naomi Watts attended the Dior pre-fall fashion show in Brooklyn in April 2024 with her transgender daughter Kai Schreiber. Watts and Kai’s father Liev Schreiber have publicly supported Kai. In 2022, Watts praised Kai on Instagram on her 14th birthday and said she was “beyond proud” to be her mum.
Liev Schreiber says Kai was always Kai
Liev Schreiber has spoken publicly in support of his transgender daughter Kai Schreiber, saying “Kai was always who Kai is”. Kai Schreiber is the daughter of Schreiber and Naomi Watts. Schreiber has also publicly supported Kai’s modelling career, including around her runway debut in March 2025.
Annette Bening balances privacy with speaking out
Annette Bening has spoken publicly about her eldest child, Stephen Ira, being transgender and about the challenges faced by trans people. Bening said trans people are being targeted by “fear and ignorance” and that people should “love and understand”. She has said she prioritises her child’s privacy while still using her platform to address anti-trans rhetoric.
Marlon Wayans shares his own learning curve
Marlon Wayans has spoken publicly about supporting his transgender child Kai, including describing his own “transition as a parent”. In November 2023, Wayans said he moved from “ignorance and denial” to “unconditional love and acceptance”. He said he wanted his children to be “free” and that he was proud of them.
Heather Dubrow and Terry Dubrow: The Dubrows put Ace’s safety first
Heather Dubrow and Terry Dubrow publicly shared that their youngest child, Ace, is transgender in March 2023. Heather wrote that parents should provide a “safe and supportive environment” so children can grow up “healthy, happy, confident”, adding that Ace should tell his own story if he chooses. Terry said they hoped sharing would help families struggling with lack of support.
Sade’s “Young Lion” as a public love letter
Sade released the song “Young Lion” in October 2024 as part of the Transa project, as a tender apology to her transgender son Izaak Theo Adu. Izaak has publicly referenced her support during his transition. Sade has been described as expressing love and apology connected to her son’s transition through her music.
Lea Salonga focuses on Nic’s safety
Lea Salonga has spoken publicly about supporting her son Nic Chien, who is transmasculine and began taking testosterone in March 2025. Nic, assigned female at birth, began identifying as transmasculine at age 14. Salonga said parenting means meeting a child where they are and helping them feel safe and set up for success.
Kenny Loggins calls acceptance a form of love
Kenny Loggins spoke about publicly accepting his transgender son Lou in connection with the 2026 documentary Kenny Loggins: Conviction of the Heart. The documentary premiered in April 2026 at Toronto’s Hot Docs festival. Loggins said publicly accepting his child’s transition was “an expression of love”.
Judy Reyes speaks about parenting with pride
Scrubs star Judy Reyes publicly spoke about her 16-year-old transgender son in September 2026. Reyes said her son was “just starting his therapy” and described him as “strong” and “courageous”. She also said her son’s example motivated her to be an example to him.
Tamzin Outhwaite on Flo’s long road
Tamzin Outhwaite has spoken publicly about her journey to accepting that her child Flo is transgender, saying she initially struggled but is now happy that he is thriving. Outhwaite said Flo started identifying as a boy at age 10. She said acceptance involved therapy and family conversations, and that there were “dark times”, and she shares Flo with her ex-husband Tom Ellis.
Trisha Goddard keeps trying, even when she slips
Trisha Goddard has spoken publicly about supporting her queer non-binary child and learning alongside her family in July 2024. Goddard said she is “still learning” and sometimes slips up, but keeps trying. She also said her child works in the NHS and as a drag king.
Colin Mochrie shuts down trolls for Kinley
Actor and comedian Colin Mochrie’s daughter Kinley Mochrie came out as transgender to him in April 2016. Mochrie posted a birthday message calling Kinley his “lovely Daughter” and said she was “everything we’ve ever hoped for in a child.” He also publicly criticised trolls who left transphobic comments on his post.
Desmond Clark’s breakfast chat that changed everything
Desmond Clark publicly celebrated his transgender son DaShawn in a Pride Month Facebook post in June 2022. Clark said DaShawn came out to him as trans in January 2022 and they discussed it over breakfast. Clark wrote that his love for DaShawn “cuts through” labels including gender and pronouns.
Pramila Jayapal brings family to the Equality Act
Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal spoke at a House committee hearing in April 2019 about her child being gender non-conforming and urged lawmakers to protect LGBTQ+ rights. Jayapal said her child had found “newfound freedom” after embracing their gender identity. She linked her family’s experience to the need for non-discrimination protections in the Equality Act.
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s blunt advice to parents
Florida Republican politician Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has said her support for LGBT equality was influenced by her son Rodrigo Lehtinen coming out as transgender. Ros-Lehtinen said: “He’s our son, we’re proud of him.” She also offered direct advice to parents: “Never, never reject your child.”
Karen Berg’s grief fuels her fight for Henry
Karen Berg has spoken publicly as a Kentucky state senator and as the mother of a transgender son, Henry Berg-Brousseau. Henry Berg-Brousseau died by suicide in December 2022. Berg has described hearing from constituents who fear for their safety and future amid anti-trans legislation.
David and Georgia Tennant keep trans rights visible
David Tennant and Georgia Tennant are parents to a child, who is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, and are outspoken supporters of LGBTQ+ rights, particularly trans rights, in the UK. David Tennant received a Celebrity Ally title at the 2024 British LGBT Awards and said supporting people’s right to live as they are is “human decency”.
Busy Philipps learned Birdie’s pronouns in public
Busy Philipps has spoken publicly about supporting her child Birdie after Birdie came out as gay and used they/them pronouns. Philipps said she struggled at first with pronouns and that Birdie encouraged her to talk about it publicly. She has also said she needed to educate herself to better support her child.
Sigourney Weaver shares Char’s identity without fuss
Sigourney Weaver said in 2022 that her only child, Char, is non-binary. Weaver described being a mum as the most important thing in her life, and spoke about her child’s identity plainly and without fuss.
Carrie and David Grant learned through small talks
TV stars Carrie Grant and David Grant have publicly said that three of their four children are trans or non-binary. They said understanding their children’s identities took many “little conversations”. They have spoken about apologising if they misgender their children and continuing to learn, and said they planned to share what they learned in a book titled A Very Modern Family.
Jennifer Lopez uses Emme’s pronouns on stage
Jennifer Lopez introduced her child Emme Muñiz using they/them pronouns during an on-stage duet in 2022. Lopez introduced Emme at the L.A. Dodgers Foundation’s Blue Diamond Gala and joked that they were “very very busy” and “pricey”. The clip of Lopez using Emme’s pronouns circulated widely online.
Rosie O’Donnell moved with Clay for safety
Rosie O’Donnell said in March 2025 that she moved from the US to Ireland with her child Clay, partly so that Clay could have a safer environment given their they/them pronouns. O’Donnell said Clay was 12 at the time she discussed the move publicly. She also said she would consider returning to the US “when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America.”
Ally Sheedy gave Beckett space to thrive
Breakfast Club star Ally Sheedy has spoken publicly about supporting her son Beckett after learning he was transgender in his early teens. In 2022, Sheedy said parents need to educate themselves and that Beckett was in a “really great place” in his life. Sheedy said she tries to give her son “the room to run”.
Alexis Bellino explains why Miles wanted her voice
The Real Housewives of Orange County star Alexis Bellino publicly defended and expressed pride in her son Miles in 2022, writing that her love is unconditional and describing his happiness being called “he”. Bellino said Miles asked her to speak out after people made comments about his appearance. She wrote that Miles came out to her 16 months before the announcement and was ready to share publicly after hiding it for a while.
Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott support Liam
Dean McDermott has said that his and Tori Spelling’s child Liam identifies as transgender. In 2022, McDermott said he shared the film My Fake Boyfriend with his child who identifies as trans and his gay son. They have spoken publicly about supporting their LGBTQ+ children.
Tia Carrere says Jude is happy and sure
Actress and singer Tia Carrere said in a May 2025 interview that her 19-year-old son Jude had come out as transgender. Carrere said Jude “knows who he is” and is “very happy”. She also described Jude as caring and supportive among his friends, including being a designated driver.
Khary Payton turned support into a D&D character
The Walking Dead actor Khary Payton has a transgender child and has spoken publicly about being a supportive parent. In 2024, Payton said his child inspired him to create a trans character in a D&D web series. The moment linked family life to creative choices made in front of an audience.
MP Stephen Kinnock puts support for Milo on record
British Cabinet Minister Stephen Kinnock publicly confirmed his son Milo is a trans man during a parliamentary debate on 23 June 2026. Kinnock spoke about his family directly in that setting, putting his support on the public record. Kinnock’s father was former UK Labour Party Leader Lord Neil Kinnock. Kinnock’s wife Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the former Prime Minister of Denmark.
Tommy Davidson on parenting after his son came out
Comedian Tommy Davidson has spoken about supporting his son after he came out transgender at age 15. In October 2024, Davidson discussed adjusting as a parent and standing by his child. He framed support as an ongoing commitment rather than a single conversation.
Cindy Barshop says listening is the starting point
Real Housewives of New York star Cindy Barshop revealed in 2019 that one of her twins is transgender. Barshop also urged people to listen to their children, framing support as paying attention to who they are telling you they are. Her message centred belief and attention as practical acts of care.
Warren Beatty calls Stephen Ira Beatty his hero
Oscar winning actor Warren Beatty has supported his son Stephen Ira Beatty, who identifies as transgender. Beatty called Stephen his hero in an interview. The simple praise underlined pride, not pity, in how he spoke about his child.
Sting and Eliot Sumner kept it low-key
Sting is the parent of Eliot Sumner, who said they never formally came out because people around them already knew. Eliot’s comment captured a family context where their identity did not require a single public declaration.
Trudie Styler and Eliot Sumner’s no-big-reveal story
Trudie Styler is the other parent (along with singer Sting) of Eliot Sumner, who said they never formally came out because people around them already knew.
Eddie Murphy and Mel B kept Angel Iris’s transition private
Actor and comedian Eddie Murphy and Spice Girl Mel B had a brief, yet high profile relationship in 2006. Their child Angel Iris Murphy Brown came out in 2025, announcing their transition quietly and without fanfare.
Eddie Murphy has 10 children with five different women
