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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
19 Celeb Parents With Trans Nonbinary Kids
It was recently an incredibly meaningful day for members of the transgender community. March 31 marks International Transgender Day of Visibility — a day to celebrate transgender people while also raising awareness about the ongoing acts of discrimination and violence that transgender people face. According to the 2024 report from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, nearly 400 transgender and gender-expansive people lost their lives to fatal acts of violence in the last decade, and 1 in 10 victims were under the age of 21. Right now, new pieces of legislation across the country are under consideration (or already in effect) that would bring immense harm to transgender and non-binary people, especially transgender and nonbinary youth. So when public figures step up and share their love and admiration for their non-binary and trans kids, it makes a huge difference. We're spotlighting some celebrity parents who've constantly shown support to their transgender and nonbinary children, and you're going to love what they have to say. So many of these famous parents — like Jamie Lee Curtis, Dwyane Wade, and Gabrielle Union — have opened up and used their immense platforms to spotlight LGBTQ youth and the bravery of their children who just want to live their most authentic lives. Wade has even gone so far as to partner up with his transgender daughter Zaya to create Translatable, an online resource and safe space for LGBTQIA+ kids and their parents. There are also famous parents, like Cher and Marlon Wayans, who've gotten very candid about their own initial biases and worries as their children transitioned. Ultimately, there's no denying how much these parents love their kids and want them to live their lives to the fullest. As we remember the violence the transgender community faces — both physically and policy-based — take some time to read about these celebrity parents and the love they have for their kids. A version of this article was originally published in Feb. 2024. More from SheKnows Dwyane Wade Advocates for His Daughter Zaya & the Transgender Community at the Met Gala: 'I'm Going to Focus On Acceptance' Best of SheKnows 20 of Serena Williams' Most Adorable Motherhood Moments 30+ Baby Names With Ivy League Vibes — No Degree Required Michelle Obama's Best Mom Quotes — Because We Could All Use a Dose of Her Wisdom Tia Carrere's 19-year-old son Jude, who she shares with ex-husband Simon Wakelin, came out as trans in May 2025. The Lilo & Stitch star revealed that her son walked the red carpet for the premiere, dressed in a black tux with a purple flower lei. 'He doesn't love the spotlight,' she told PEOPLE about her son. 'He's more introverted, so he definitely won't go into acting or singing like I did. But he's a great artist. I don't know what he'll do! Maybe become a doctor or work with animals. He's working with animals right now.' 'He's very matter-of-fact,' the Wayne's World actress added. 'He knows who he is, and he's very happy.' In March 2025, Robert De Niro's adult daughter Airyn — who he shares with ex Toukie Smith — was effectively outed by the media when paparazzi photos of her wearing heeled boots and rocking pink braids started to circulate. A month later, in a candid interview with Them, Airyn opened up about being transgender and her desire to be a role model for trans girls, mixed girls, and people with bigger bodies. 'There's a difference between being visible and being seen,' Airyn said. 'I've been visible. I don't think I've been seen yet.' De Niro then spoke to Variety and said he 'loved and supported' Airyn before she transitioned, and he loves her now. 'I don't know what the big deal is,' the actor said in a statement. 'I love all my children.' Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union have been so forthcoming about their support, love, and admiration for their daughter Zaya, whom Wade shares with former wife Siohvaughn Funches. Over the last few years, Wade and Union have taken every opportunity to share how proud they are of Zaya. 'I've sat back and watched how gracefully you have taken on the public scrutiny,' Wade told his daughter while accepting the NAACP President's Award alongside Union. 'And even though it's not easy, I watched you walk out of that house every morning as yourself. I admire how you've handled the ignorance in our world. I admire that you face every day. To say that your village is proud of you is an understatement.' Union added: 'First, the intersection of Black rights and the rights of the LGBTQIA, trans, and gender non-conforming people continues to be a huge understatement, even as we demand equality at the top of our lungs. We consistently fail to extend our advocacy to protect some of our most vulnerable among us.' Whether it's touching tributes like this, or moments of support on the red carpet, Wade and Union have an unconditional love for Zaya. In 2024, Wade and Zaya founded Translatable, which they describe as a 'safe space for LGBTQIA+ youth to express themselves and is a resource hub for our parents, families, and support systems.' Comedian Marlon Wayans always shares his admiration and love for his transgender son, Kai, and has talked about transitioning in his standup. 'Not [about] her, his, their transition, but my transition as a parent going from ignorance and denial to complete unconditional love and acceptance,' he said during an interview, per CBS News, adding, 'I think there's a lot of parents out there that need to have that message.' Wayans continued, saying that 'as a parent, I just want my kids to be free. I want them to be free in spirit, free in thought, free to be themselves … The more you live your truth, the happier your existence.' During 2024 Pride Month, the White Chicks actor went after homophobic trolls who flooded his Instagram comments. 'Yeah and just for the HATE MONGERS … I'm posting ANOTHER. As a father of a child in the LGBTQ+ community I show my support. Zero f*cks what people think. If i lost you… GOOD! … How can you love anyone when you're too busy judging … HAPPY PRIDE to all my friends, fam, fans and loved ones. I am happy you're happy … period,' he captioned a second of many posts. Oscar-winner Jamie Lee Curtis is the proud mom of daughter Ruby. On Trans Visibility Day 2023, the actress took to Instagram and penned a heartfelt letter of support, writing, 'Love is love. A mother's love knows no judgment. As a mother, I stand in total solidarity with my children as they move forward in the universe as their authentic selves with their own minds and bodies and ideas. On this trans visibility day my daughter and I are visible. #transvisibilityday.' In 2024, Sister Wives star Meri Brown opened up on The Sarah Fraser Show about how public opinion has impacted her transgender and queer child Leon. 'The commentary that I get about Leon is very polarizing,' she said. 'It's just gonna be that way. I always appreciate the support, the comments of support I get, and obviously, I don't appreciate the hate that comes at me.' 'Leon and I have a good relationship and I don't talk about them a lot because they want to remain private,' she continued. On Transgender Day of Visibility 2023, Brown shared a photo of Leon and their partner Audrey Kriss on her Instagram Story and wrote, 'I see you! I love you! I got you!' She then added a sticker that said, 'Protect trans kids.' Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington's child Draven publicly came out as transgender on Valentine's Day 2024. 'As today is a day to celebrate love and what love truly means, whether it's for a partner, family, or ourselves, I thought it would be the perfect time to show some love to myself,' Draven said, per Billboard. 'For a long time, I tried to be someone, someone I truly wasn't on the inside. Ignoring it worked for a while, but continuously coming to the crossroads of being happy or being complacent was one I couldn't keep crossing Later that year, they made the 'best decision' of their life by beginning hormone replacement therapy. Sadly, Draven's dad died in 2017, but mom Samantha Bennington quickly showed her support in the comments. 'I'm so proud of you. I love you with all my heart and soul,' she wrote. 'You're my favorite human on the planet. I just want you happy and healthy forever and always.' Sting is a proud father of six, and he shares a nonbinary child, Eliot Sumner, with wife Trudie Styler. Eliot has joined their father in the entertainment industry, and in a 2015 interview, Eliot said they'd rather be referred to as a musician than either gender. 'I don't believe in any specifications,' they said. 'I think forever I was trying to figure out maybe…what I am. But I don't think anyone should feel pressured to have any kind of label or tag on them. We should treat everybody the same. Me, I don't like to be put down to a specific thing. We're all human beings.' Cher was very open about how she initially handled her son Chaz Bono's transition, telling SheKnows in 2020, 'It took me a minute. Because you've been with a child for 40 years, and then all of a sudden … but you know what? Chaz was so happy!' The actress and singer said she used a simple analogy to understand her son's experience and talk to other parents of transgender children. 'It's like, if I woke up in the morning, and I wasn't me anymore and I didn't feel like me and I couldn't be me, I would just be beyond grief stricken. And that's what I have to tell a mother or father: You are who you are, but how would you feel if you were someone else and you couldn't be that someone else? That's how I had to get it. And, you know, I didn't do it all that well in the beginning. So, I can't take too many kudos, but now, it's fabulous.' In June 2022, Lopez introduced one of her twins, Emme Maribel Muñiz, at a concert using gender-neutral pronouns. 'The last time we performed together was in a big stadium like this,' Lopez said, per CNN. 'And I ask them to sing with me all the time and they won't.' Lopez referred to the moment as 'a very special occasion. They are very, very busy. Booked. And pricey,' she said. 'They cost me when they come out. But they're worth every single penny because they're my favorite duet partner of all time.' Lopez tries to keep her kids' lives as private as possible, so while she has yet to confirm the way Emme identifies, this may have been her way of showing Emme support. In 2018, Cynthia Nixon showed love and support to her son Seph with a touching tribute on Instagram. 'I'm so proud of my son Samuel Joseph Mozes (called Seph) who graduated college this month. I salute him and everyone else marking today's [Trans Day of Action],' her caption read. Actor Dean McDermott shared a very sweet shout-out to his child during a screening for his film My Fake Boyfriend back in June 2022. 'The thing I love about this movie is I got to share it with my 15-year-old who identifies as trans and my gay son,' McDermott said. 'I love that they get a safe space to come and watch this.' In 2019, Annette Bening gushed about her son with Warren Beatty, Stephen, who began transitioning when he was 14. 'He's managed something that's very challenging with great style and great intelligence,' she told AARP, adding, 'He's an articulate, thoughtful person, and I'm very, very proud of him.' In 2016, Beatty called Stephen a 'hero,' telling Vanity Fair, 'He's a revolutionary, a genius, and my hero, as are all my children.' In January 2022, actress Ally Sheedy opened up about life with her transgender son, Beckett. 'I want him to be able to do what he wants to do with his life and have the freedom to make his own choices and surround himself with a loving, supportive community,' she told People. 'So far, he's been able to do that.' '[As a parent] I've learned a lot,' she continued. 'Beck doesn't hide anything. And I feel very comfortable talking to anyone whose kid is just beginning the process of transition. Parents need to educate themselves.' Singer Sade's son documented his transition on social media and gave his mom a touching shout-out. 'Thank you for staying by my side these past 6 months Mumma. Thank you for fighting with me to complete the man I am,' he said on social media, per People. 'Thank you for your encouragement when things are hard, for the love you give me. The purest heart. I love you so much. Queen of queens.' Oscar-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden expressed her love for all three of her children during the Drag Isn't Dangerous telethon in May 2023, saying, 'What drives me is — my children are all queer. My eldest child is non-binary. My son is gay. My youngest is fluid. And you know, they are my kids and they teach me every day,' she said, according to People. In June 2020, The Walking Dead actor Khary Payton shared a moving tribute to his son on Instagram. 'This my kid. One of the most happy, well-adjusted individuals I've ever known. My son, Karter. Karter with a K because it reminded him of my name. He chose it. You see, he was born female but has always identified as a boy,' Payton wrote. 'He thought it would be cool if I announced it on social media. I told him that there would be so many supporters but also a lot of jerks who would be harsh. He said, 'Yeah, I know about trolls, daddy. I can handle trolls.' Man, there is nothing more beautiful than watching your child feel the joy of exploring what it means to be true to themselves. This is his journey, and I am here for it. I hope you all have the opportunity to feel the unquenchable love that I am feeling right now.'
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US supreme court allows Trump trans military ban to take effect
The Trump administration can begin to enforce a ban on transgender troops serving in the military while a challenge to the policy plays out in the courts, the supreme court ruled on Tuesday, a significant decision that could lead to the discharge of thousands of military members. The court's order was unsigned and gave no explanation for its reasoning, which is typical of decisions the justices reach on an emergency basis. The court's three liberal members – Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson – all noted their dissent from the decision. Lambda Legal and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, which represented challengers in the case, called the decision 'a devastating blow to transgender servicemembers'. 'By allowing this discriminatory ban to take effect while our challenge continues, the Court has temporarily sanctioned a policy that has nothing to do with military readiness and everything to do with prejudice,' the groups said in a statement. 'Transgender individuals meet the same standards and demonstrate the same values as all who serve. We remain steadfast in our belief that this ban violates constitutional guarantees of equal protection and will ultimately be struck down.' Immediately after coming into office, Donald Trump rescinded an executive order from the Biden administration that allowed transgender people to serve openly in the military. On 27 January, the president issued a second executive order that said transgender people could not serve in the military. 'It is the policy of the United States Government to establish high standards for troop readiness, lethality, cohesion, honesty, humility, uniformity, and integrity,' the order said. 'This policy is inconsistent with the medical, surgical, and mental health constraints on individuals with gender dysphoria. This policy is also inconsistent with shifting pronoun usage or use of pronouns that inaccurately reflect an individual's sex.' The defense department began implementing the ban at the end of February. A defense department estimate from earlier this year said there were 4,240 people in the military with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria – roughly 0.2 % of the 2 million people currently serving. Seven transgender servicemembers and one transgender person who would like to join the military challenged the ban. Lawyers for the lead platiniff, navy pilot Emily Shilling, said the military had spent $20m on her training, according to SCOTUSBlog. Several lower courts had halted the ban. The case before the supreme court involved a ruling from US district court judge Benjamin Settle, who blocked the ban in March. 'The government's arguments are not persuasive, and it is not an especially close question on this record,' Settle, an appointee of George W Bush, wrote at the time. 'The government's unrelenting reliance on deference to military judgment is unjustified in the absence of any evidence supporting 'the military's' new judgment reflected in the Military Ban.' Another judge, Ana Reyes, of the US district court in Washington DC, also blocked the ban, saying it was 'soaked with animus and dripping with pretext'. The Trump administration asked the supreme court to intervene last month. 'The district court issued a universal injunction usurping the Executive Branch's authority to determine who may serve in the Nation's armed forces,' John Sauer, the US solicitor general, wrote in a brief to the court. Trump's ban is broader than a similar policy enacted during his first term. The previous policy allowed those who had come out before the ban to continue to serve in the military. The more recent policy affects nearly all active serving transgender members. Pausing the order, Shilling's lawyers said, would 'upend the status quo by allowing the government to immediately begin discharging thousands of transgender servicemembers … thereby ending distinguished careers and gouging holes in military units'. A majority of Americans support allowing transgender people to serve in the military, according to a February Gallup poll. However, there is a sharp partisan split. While 84% of Democrats favor such a policy, only 23% of Republicans do.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Another federal judge strikes down Trump's ban on trans people in the military: ‘Plainly discriminates'
A second federal judge has blocked Donald Trump's ban on transgender service members in the U.S. military, a 'plainly' discriminatory directive with 'no evidence' to support the administration's claims, according to the ruling. 'The government's arguments are not persuasive, and it is not an especially close question on this record,' George W. Bush-appointed District Judge Benjamin Settle wrote in a 65-page opinion Thursday. Trump's executive order — one of several that explicitly removes federal recognition of trans people — claims that the 'adoption of a gender identity inconsistent with an individual's sex conflicts with a soldier's commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one's personal life.' 'The government has … provided no evidence supporting the conclusion that military readiness, unit cohesion, lethality, or any of the other touchstone phrases long used to exclude various groups from service have in fact been adversely impacted by open transgender service,' Settle wrote. 'The Court can only find that there is none,' he said. Settle's decision — the second nationwide injunction targeting the Trump administration's policy — follows a lawsuit from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and Lambda Legal representing seven actively serving trans troops. 'Transgender service members meet the same rigorous standards and requirements as any other soldier and this ban does nothing other than compromise our country's national security for the sole purpose of discrimination,' Human Rights Campaign Foundation legal vice president Sarah Warbelow said in a statement after the decision. The decision 'affirms what we have long maintained: that banning Americans from military service solely because they are transgender is not only unconstitutional but undermines our national security and military readiness,' according to Lambda Legal counsel Kell Olson. 'These brave individuals deserve to be judged on their ability to serve, just like everyone else. While this injunction is an important step forward, we continue to fight until this discriminatory ban is permanently struck down.' Last month, the Department of Defense ordered that the removal of all trans service members across all branches of the military 'must be completed' no later than June 25. The order also immediately bans access to gender-affirming care for all trans service members. Following a separate lawsuit from more than 20 plaintiffs, including decorated trans service members, Washington, D.C., District Judge Ana Reyes temporarily blocked what she called a policy that is 'soaked with animus and dripping with pretext' to discriminate against trans people. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Pentagon officials scrambled to issue new guidance, but District Judge Ana Reyes ruled this week that the government's arguments supporting the changes — which scrutinized service members' history of gender dysphoria — were 'equally unpersuasive.' 'Defendants cannot evade discriminating against transgender people simply by labeling the policy as addressing gender dysphoria,' she wrote in a scorching opinion Wednesday. The Trump administration has appealed both rulings. 'Thousands of transgender service members currently serving have clearly demonstrated they meet all military standards, with many deployed to critical missions worldwide, proving their capabilities beyond question,' according to Jennifer Levi, senior director of transgender and queer rights at GLAD Law, which is suing the Trump administration on behalf of two dozen trans service members. 'President Trump's executive order and Secretary Hegseth's implementation represent a policy that cannot be constitutionally justified,' she added.
The Independent
28-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Another federal judge strikes down Trump's ban on trans people in the military: ‘Plainly discriminates'
A second federal judge has blocked Donald Trump 's ban on transgender service members in the U.S. military, a 'plainly' discriminatory directive with 'no evidence' to support the administration's claims, according to the ruling. 'The government's arguments are not persuasive, and it is not an especially close question on this record,' George W. Bush-appointed District Judge Benjamin Settle wrote in a 65-page opinion Thursday. — one of several that explicitly removes federal recognition of trans people — claims that the 'adoption of a gender identity inconsistent with an individual's sex conflicts with a soldier's commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one's personal life.' 'The government has … provided no evidence supporting the conclusion that military readiness, unit cohesion, lethality, or any of the other touchstone phrases long used to exclude various groups from service have in fact been adversely impacted by open transgender service,' Settle wrote. 'The Court can only find that there is none,' he said. Settle's decision — the second nationwide injunction targeting the Trump administration's policy — follows a lawsuit from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and Lambda Legal representing seven actively serving trans troops. 'Transgender service members meet the same rigorous standards and requirements as any other soldier and this ban does nothing other than compromise our country's national security for the sole purpose of discrimination,' Human Rights Campaign Foundation legal vice president Sarah Warbelow said in a statement after the decision. The decision 'affirms what we have long maintained: that banning Americans from military service solely because they are transgender is not only unconstitutional but undermines our national security and military readiness,' according to Lambda Legal counsel Kell Olson. 'These brave individuals deserve to be judged on their ability to serve, just like everyone else. While this injunction is an important step forward, we continue to fight until this discriminatory ban is permanently struck down.' Last month, the Department of Defense ordered that the removal of all trans service members across all branches of the military 'must be completed' no later than June 25. The order also immediately bans access to gender-affirming care for all trans service members. Following a separate lawsuit from more than 20 plaintiffs, including decorated trans service members, Washington, D.C., District Judge Ana Reyes temporarily blocked what she called a policy that is 'soaked with animus and dripping with pretext' to discriminate against trans people. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Pentagon officials scrambled to issue new guidance, but District Judge Ana Reyes ruled this week that the government's arguments supporting the changes — which scrutinized service members' history of gender dysphoria — were 'equally unpersuasive.' 'Defendants cannot evade discriminating against transgender people simply by labeling the policy as addressing gender dysphoria,' she wrote in a scorching opinion Wednesday. The Trump administration has appealed both rulings. 'Thousands of transgender service members currently serving have clearly demonstrated they meet all military standards, with many deployed to critical missions worldwide, proving their capabilities beyond question,' according to Jennifer Levi, senior director of transgender and queer rights at GLAD Law, which is suing the Trump administration on behalf of two dozen trans service members. 'President Trump's executive order and Secretary Hegseth's implementation represent a policy that cannot be constitutionally justified,' she added.
