Robert De Niro has broken his silence to share his reaction after one of his children came out as transgender at 29 years old.
At 81, De Niro has seven children with four women, having welcomed his youngest with Tiffany Chen in April 2023.
Earlier this week one of his brood, Airyn, born in 1995 while De Niro was in a relationship with Toukie Smith, came out as transgender in an interview with Them, stating that she had struggled to fit “beauty standards”.
In an article headlined “Airyn De Niro Is Ready to Be Seen on Her Own Terms”, the 29-year-old said of her transition: “It just felt right. I feel like I’m meant to be doing this.”
Despite her father being one of the biggest Hollywood stars of the last 50 years, Airyn grew up largely outside of the media spotlight.
“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.”
Following her coming out, Airyn finds her name in the media. She revealed she began undergoing hormone therapy in November, 2024 after seeing other trans women discussing their transitions openly.
“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.”
The 29-year-old also expressed concerns that her her family “maybe still think of [her] as the person [she] was before the transition”.
In the wake of her announcement, it was only a matter of time before people sought De Niro’s opinion on the matter. In heartwarming fashion, the iconic actor appeared puzzled as to why his feelings towards his daughter would change in any way.
“I love and support Airyn as my daughter,” he told People. “I don’t know what the big deal is. I love all my children.”
Airyn’s coming out coincides with a recent executive order banning expression of “gender ideology,” as well as public attacks on trans rights across the US. She’s currently studying to become a mental health counselor and is keen to make success happen “on [her] own merit.”
“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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