A TV star from the reality show Love & Hip Hop Atlanta has announced he’s de-transitioning after spending more than a decade living life as a trans woman.
D Smith, 51, who now goes by he/him pronouns, has starred in the TV series since 2016, which follows a group of people in Atlanta who work in the hip-hop music scene.
In a new Instagram post, Smith explained that he’s strived to follow his heart for most of his life, ‘even when the path wasn’t easy to understand’.
‘Over the last twelve years, I lived my life publicly as a transgender woman. Those years weren’t a mistake. They were real. They introduced me to extraordinary people, profound experiences, and lessons that I will always carry with me forever,’ the caption read.
‘Over the past several months, I’ve begun a new chapter in my life. Going forward, I’ll be living and presenting as a man and using he/him pronouns.’
Smith, who made the documentary film Kokomo City in 2023 about four Black transgender sex workers, emphasised that the change in his life didn’t mean that he was ‘erasing’ his past.
‘Living my life as a woman for 12 years showed me the man that I wanted to become,’ he wrote.
‘My respect and love for the transgender community remain unchanged, and I continue to believe that every person deserves to live with dignity, safety, and compassion and have the freedom to become themselves.’
He continued: ‘Life is constantly pushing me to grow. Even when I feel tired, discouraged, or alone, life has given me strength because I chose purpose over fear. I’m deeply grateful to everyone who supported me throughout every season of my life.
‘There is much more to this journey than can’t fit into this statement. When the time is right, I’ll share that story in full. Until then, thank you for allowing me space to continue growing.’
As part of the letter, she wrote: ‘Our experience in transness is so much more complex than just being trans – though our experience is siloed that way – but being trans is just one of the various facets of being a Human being – and being by a human being is glorious reflection of so many ways life exists.
‘It seems like you know this, but I want to affirm that all of our transitions are normal AND SINCERE to every phase of existence that we witness ourselves in and present. You have a wealth of knowledge, and experience of all the different ways it means to be alive free Loving and Loved. God bless you, may you be protected, and free of any harm people whose hearts are swollen with hatred and resentment may target you with.’