Actor Robert De Niro is a proud father of seven children whom he shares with four different women. He and Tiffany Chen welcomed the newest addition to the family in April 2023, when the actor was 79.
Recently, one of his children came out as transgender at 29, and his heartwarming response shows the depth of his love and support as a father.
Airyn, born in 1995 while De Niro was in a relationship with Toukie Smith, came out as transgender in an April interview with Them magazine.
Speaking of her transition to a woman, De Niro’s transgender child said, “It just felt right. I feel like I’m meant to be doing this.”
Despite being a child of a Hollywood icon, Airyn has spent most of her life out of the spotlight. She only opened up of her transition after media outlets spotted her with long pink hair and made headlines.
“Obviously no parent is perfect, but I am grateful that both my parents agreed to keep me out of the limelight. They wanted it very private,” she told Them. “They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.”
Airyn further revealed that she had started hormonal therapy back in November.
“Trans women being honest and open, especially [in] public spaces like social media and getting to see them in their success… I’m like, you know what? Maybe it’s not too late for me. Maybe I can start,” she said.
Her dad was clear about his feelings for her after her revelation and said he didn’t know why anyone would question his feelings for her.
“I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter. I don’t know what the big deal is,” he told People in a statement.
The actor added: “I love all my children.”
De Niro’s child came out as transgender during a time when Trump’s administration is banning expression of “gender ideology.”
“I’d want to hopefully be an inspiration for at least one other person like me who is Black, who is queer, who’s not a size extra small,” she told Them.
“I’d want to see more trans women, more Black women who are maybe bigger-bodied or don’t fit the mold of super thin or heroin chic.”
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