Robert De Niro Speaks Out After His Daughter Airyn Comes Out As Trans

Robert De Niro speaks out after his daughter, Airyn De Niro, comes out as transgender.

While talking with TMZ, De Niro says of his daughter, “I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter.” He added, “I don’t know what the big deal is…I love all my children.”

During a recent interview with Them magazine, Airyn opens up about what life is like as Robert De Niro’s child. “There’s a difference between being visible and being seen,” Airyn told the outlet. “I’ve been visible. I don’t think I’ve been seen yet.”

The aspiring actress says her parents kept her out of the 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 says. “They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.”

Airyn credits apart of her transition to Black women. “I think a big part of [my transition] is also 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.”

“Whenever I’m at a family gathering on my dad’s side, people would always talk about how much they love my mom and how memorable she was and how happy my dad was when he was with her,” Airyn says. “I want to be like that… I want to be remembered the way that people remember her.”