12 Celebrities Who Are Raising Transgender Children

“All we try to focus on is listening, learning, accepting and understanding.”

There’s nothing that a parent wants more for their children than happiness and the freedom to be their true selves. While growing up in the spotlight may make that a bit challenging for celebrity offspring, there are many famous parents who go out of their way to embrace everything about their children, from their sexual orientation to their gender identity.

In fact, many celebrities are proudly raising children who identify as transgender. By sharing their unconditional love for their kids, being vocal LGBTQ+ allies and advocating for inclusivity, these stars hope that they can help others be more accepting and create a safer world for all children.

Read on to find out which celebrities opened up about their transgender children…

Chester Bennington's Ex-Wife Samantha Bennington

The late Chester Bennington’s child Draven recently came out as transgender. In a special Valentine’s Day post, she announced that she told friends and family that she was trans back in August 2024 and started hormone replacement therapy soon after. She went on to call it “the best decision I’ve ever made in my life,” acknowledging that she is “blessed to be able to do this,” while enjoying “such supportive family and friends.”

She also gave a shout-out to her mom Samantha Bennington, who commented on the announcement, “I’m so proud of you. I love you with all my heart and soul. You’re my favorite human on the planet. I just want you happy and healthy forever and always.????"

Dwyane Wade & Gabrielle Union

Dwyane Wade’s daughter Zaya, whom he is raising with his wife Gabrielle Union, came out as transgender when she was a preteen. Looking back, Dwyane says she knew about her gender identity since she was a little girl -- but she didn’t officially come out until she was 12. Since then, Dwyane and Gabrielle have expressed their full support of Zaya and have worked to champion the LGBTQ+ community.

“All we try to focus on is listening, learning, accepting and understanding, you know, our kids as we go down this journey in life as parents,” Dwyane shared with On The Red Carpet. “To be able to love her out loud is something that...you know, I see her flourishing in life.”

Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron tends to keep her personal life out of the spotlight, including any details about her two children. But in 2019, Charlize opened up about her daughter Jackson, revealing that the little girl had come out to her as transgender when she was just three years old. While she plans to let Jackson share her own story in the future, she explained that she wanted to share the news publicly so that everyone would use Jackson’s correct pronouns.

“I have two beautiful daughters who, just like any parent, I want to protect and I want to see thrive. They were born who they are and exactly where in the world both of them get to find themselves as they grow up, and who they want to be, is not for me to decide. My job as a parent is to celebrate them and to love them and to make sure that they have everything they need in order to be what they want to be. And I will do everything in my power for my kids to have that right and to be protected within that,” Charlize told Daily Mail.

Marlon Wayans

Marlon Wayans has a transgender son named Kai -- and while he admits the early days of his transition were “very painful” for him, he’s now in full support of his son. Marlon says he’s still “working on the pronouns,” but completely respect’s Kai’s wishes. He has since been incredibly vocal in his support for the LGBTQ+ community on social media.

“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,” Marlon shared on The Breakfast Club. “And I’m just so proud of them for being them.”

Cynthia Nixon

On Trans Day of Action in 2018, Cynthia Nixon revealed that her son Seph is transgender in a post on social media. While Cynthia has admitted that she was surprised by Seph’s decision to transition, she’s been nothing but supportive of her son. In fact, in early 2025, she attended a protest to speak out against Donald Trump’s “Protecting Children From Chemical and Surgical Mutilation” executive order.

Cynthia addressed a crowd outside of NYU-Langone Hospital, where Seph had previously undergone top surgery, to condemn the hospital for cancelling at least two children’s appointments to receive puberty-blocking medication.

“My wife and I -- our lives are filled with the most amazing, beautiful, brave trans people -- young and old, but especially young,” Cynthia said in her speech. “The idea that this city is filled with young people who thought they had a place to go where they could receive the highest care and that place has now been shut to them sickens me to my core.”

Meri Brown

Sister Wives star Meri Brown’s son Leon announced they were transgender in 2023. Since then, Meri has shown her support for the LGBTQ+ community but has abided by her son’s wishes to remain private and “have their own life” outside of the spotlight.

“The commentary that I get about Leon is very polarizing,” she said on The Sarah Fraser Show. “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. I don’t think hate has any purpose or any value…Leon and I have a good relationship and I don’t talk about them a lot because they want to remain private.”

Jamie Lee Curtis

In 2021, Jamie Lee Curtis shared that her daughter Ruby is a transgender woman. Looking back, Jamie Lee admitted she didn't have “an inkling” that Ruby was trans but was supportive right away. She even was the officiant at Ruby’s wedding the following year. Jamie Lee has since become an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community.

“This life is about love. Being a parent is about love, and I love Ruby. Love her…People have said, ‘You’re so great to accept her love.’ What are you talking about? This is my daughter, this human being has come to me and said, ‘This is who I am.’ And my job is to say, ‘Welcome home.’ I will fight and defend her right to exist against anyone who claims that she doesn’t. And there are those people,” she said in an interview with Morning Joe.

Annette Bening & Warren Beatty

Annette Bening and Warren Beatty share two children, one of them being their transgender son Stephen, who came out when he was just a young teenager. While Annette and Warren have been supportive of their son, they were “protective of his privacy.” But as of late, Annette says that she no longer wants to be so private and feels that it’s important to voice her support for the LGBTQ+ community.

“At the beginning, I felt very protective of his privacy, because he’s the son of these two famous people…I felt it was his right to say what he wanted to say publicly, or not. And now, as time has gone on -- especially now with what’s happening, unfortunately, in the political process, [with how] trans people are being used -- fear and ignorance is being stoked against trans people in the most frightening way. It’s so unfair," Annette shared on The View.

Cher

Back in 2008, Cher’s son Chaz announced he was transgender, just ahead of his 40th birthday. He went on to undergo gender reassignment surgery and then legally changed his name and gender in 2010. Looking back, Cher says the pair had talked about gender identity through the years before his transition but it was still “difficult in the beginning.”

“It was hard for a mother. I had this one child and I was waiting for the new child. There was this part in between where you don’t know what you are going to have. You don’t know what your relationship is going to be. It was a scary period -- the unknown is always really frightening. [But now] Chaz is unbelievably happy...Now it doesn’t make any difference as I don't feel a loss at all. The loss I thought I was going to feel, I don’t feel one iota,” Cher told The Mirror.

Ally Sheedy

Ally Sheedy’s son Beckett came out as transgender as a teenager and she has been incredibly supportive of his journey. She says she did as much research as possible when he first began taking hormones, sharing that she’s “learned a lot” and feels “very comfortable talking to anyone whose kid is just beginning the process of transition.” Now she just wants her son to have the best life possible.

“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.”

She continued, “It’s natural to have fears about your kids, no matter what. But in this case, Beck is in a really great place in his life. I give him the room to run, and I just really try to just watch.”

Sade

In 2016, Sade’s son Izaak Adu publicly came out as transgender. While Izaak has been open about his transition and gender confirmation surgery, Sade has been more private with her support for her son. But recently, Sade released her first song in six years as a tribute to her son. Her song “Young Lion” was inspired by a letter Sade gave Izaak on his 21st birthday. On the track, she asks for forgiveness for misunderstanding him, singing that she “should’ve known” about his identity earlier.

“Though there was nothing I needed to forgive her for, the lyrics ‘Forgive me, son, I should have known,’ struck a chord," Izaak told Rolling Stone. “My mum never tried to oppress the boy; I silently always knew I was. She always let me be me.”

He continued, “I think that a song where a parent apologizes for misunderstanding their child can hold immense significance for the trans community. This song may serve as a beacon of hope and a reminder that parents can learn, grow and ultimately accept their children for who they truly are. I hope it can offer a sense of comfort, validation and a feeling of being seen and understood.”