Robert De Niro‘s 29-year-old child has come out as transgender.
In a powerful and inspiring longform interview published by Them on Tuesday, Airyn De Niro revealed to the world that she is “stepping into this new identity” as a transgender woman. Airyn is the daughter of the famed 81-year-old Oscar winning actor and his former partner, actress Toukie Smith. (BTW, she also has a twin brother, Julian.)
Related: Linkin Park Singer Chester Bennington’s Child Comes Out As Transgender!
In the reveal, Airyn acknowledged that she’s a bit of a “late bloomer” considering how she’s only now going public with her transgender identity at 29 years old. But that doesn’t mean she hasn’t been very introspective about it! Specifically, she cited a slew of transgender icons who have been represented in media — name-dropping Laverne Cox, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, and Jools Lebron in particular — who inspired her coming out. She explained:
“I think a big part of [my transition] is the influence Black women have had on me. I think stepping into this new identity, while also being more proud of my Blackness, makes me feel closer to them in some way.”
And she continued:
“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.'”
Never! THERE IS STILL TIME, y’all!
That’s not to say she hasn’t faced challenges, too, though. After media outlets speculated about Airyn’s orientation following a recent public appearance she made, she lamented how those news sites “got information wrong.” So, she chose to be featured by Them to set the record straight. She explained:
“There’s a difference between being visible and being seen. I’ve been visible. I don’t think I’ve been seen yet.”
And about being misunderstood by the media, she added:
“They just sort of reminded me that people really don’t know anything about me.”
According to the Them profile, Airyn began hormone therapy quite recently — in November of 2024. And even though it’s been a very thoughtful journey for her, that doesn’t mean she isn’t worried about what her high-profile family thinks:
“I think part of me is concerned that [my family] will maybe still think of me as the person I was before the transition.”
She’s also worried about nepo baby discourse — as are many children of celebrities. In her case here, Airyn tried to preemptively push back against that in the feature by saying this… while acknowledging her personal acting aspirations:
“I wasn’t brought up having a side part in one of dad’s movies or going to business meetings or attending premieres. My dad was very big on us finding our own sort of path… I would want [success] to happen on my own merit.”
Amazing!
She also alluded to her relationship with her mother and father with a comment about her childhood. And while she mostly had good things to say, we are curious about the very beginning of this quote:
“Obviously, no parent is perfect, but I am grateful that both my parents agreed to keep me out of the limelight. They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.”
To that end, Airyn recalled how her childhood — while private and “normal” — was nevertheless marked by challenges related to body dysmorphia and trying to live up to unfair beauty standards all too prevalent in culture:
“I was always told I was too much of something or not enough of something growing up: Too big, not skinny enough. Not Black enough, not white enough. Too feminine, not masculine enough. It was never just, ‘you’re just right, just the way you are.'”
Ugh.
Now, though, it sure sounds like she’s on the right track. For one, she is studying to become a mental health counselor. Which, um, amazing!!! She explained why:
“People of color and queer people definitely need more mental health advocacy and support, so I’m hoping I’m able to do that.”
And she capped it with a hopeful slant on all the good that could come from her owning her identity:
“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. 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.”
Wow. We are seriously so heartened to hear her powerful words.
Ch-ch-check out more from her powerful profile (below):
And you can read the full feature in Them at the link HERE.
Reactions, Perezcious readers?! Drop your support in the comments (below)…
[Image via Airyn De Niro/Instagram/Instagram/Phil Lewis/WENN]
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