20 Celebs Who Love & Support Their LGBTQ+ Children
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These parents love their queer children!
Images: Shutterstock; Swan Gallet/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images; Shutterstock
We love to see good parenting!
As queer people, we know that few things are as important to mental and physical health than having a supportive family, and these famous parents prove that anyone can be a great parent to an LGBTQ+ child.
Here are some of the famous parents of LGBTQ+ kids who inspire us to be the best we can be!
1. Ally Sheedy
Images: Raymond Hall/GC Images; Instagram @beckettls18
The Breakfast Club actress Ally Sheedy has been standing strong by her queer kid since he came out in his teens. Her son Beckett came out as queer when he was 15. “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 said. “So far, he’s been able to do that.”
"I've learned a lot," she added. "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. 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.”
2. Anette Bening and Warren Beatty
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The two iconic actors are parents to a trans son, writer Stephen Ira. Over the last several years, Bening has become more public and vocal speaking on LGBTQ+ issues, and credits her son with inspiring her. “My son is incredibly brilliant,” Bening said about Ira. “I mean, I have four amazing children, and I love all my kids. Stephen has always been a highly literary person. I just read his latest poem that was just published; wow, it is so extraordinary. I’m so proud of him, and yes, he was in The Paris Review!”
“What I would wish is for every person to have someone who is trans in their family because once somebody you love is trans, then you get it,” Bening added.
3. Billy Ray Cyrus
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Country singer Billy Ray Cyrus couldn’t be more proud of his queer daughter Miley Cyrus. Back in 2016 he spoke out when he joined other artists in criticizing a rise in anti-LGBTQ+ bills in states like Mississippi and North Carolina.
“I would feel negligent to not speak up. In light of my good friend, Bryan Adams, taking a stand and my daughter having been on the ground floor of this movement, this issue is very important to me,” he wrote. “As a friend and dad… I’ve witnessed this fight from the very beginning. I think everyone should be treated equal. We’ve come too far; we can’t mess this up.”
4. Busy Phillipps
Image: Instagram @busyphilipps
Freaks and Geeks and Cougartown star Busy Philipps opened up on her own podcast Busy Philipps Is Doing Her Best about her nonbinary child Birdie and how at first she struggled to use the correct pronouns for them. While Philipps said she was at first reluctant to talk about her queer child in public, Birdie encouraged her to. Since then, Philipps has been giving her child nothing but messages of support.
"It doesn't have to look like anything anybody has ever seen or anything that's ever been modeled for you, because maybe it doesn't exist," Philipps told her child about their gender. "You get to choose what will make you feel fulfilled and happy."
5. Charlize Theron
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Theron has been supporting her trans daughter since she was young. When her daughter was 7, Theron spoke publicly about her being a trans girl. “Yes, I thought she was a boy, too. Until she looked at me when she was 3 years old and said: ‘I am not a boy!’” Theron said to the Daily Mail. “So there you go! 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.”
6. Cher
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Cher’s trans son Chaz Bono is one of the most famous trans children of celebrities ever. While the legendary singer admitted that at first she struggled with correct pronouns and understanding her son’s transition, she got on board, describing him as “happier than ever” after his transition.
“For the people who don’t understand it I try to help them understand, by saying, you know, 'I just love being a woman so much, but if I woke up tomorrow and I was a man I couldn’t function,'" she told the Sunday Times about how she learned to understand her son. "And that’s the only way to describe it to someone who doesn’t understand. It’s hard to relate to, 'Oh, I must change my sex.' But I know if, by some miraculous something I woke up as a man, I’d hate it so much I can’t tell you.”
7. Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest
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Oscar-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis was named The Advocate’s Advocate of the Year in 2023 for her unwavering support of her trans daughter Ruby Guest. When accepting the award, she said “I hope to teach them that this is what you do when you're a parent. You suit up and you show up with your heart open, your arms outstretched and your aim true. And your job is to tell the haters to back the fuck off."
8. Cynthia Nixon
Image: Instagram @cynthiaenixon
Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon is queer herself and proudly supports her transgender son Samuel Joseph Mozes. She announced that she has a trans child and supports him on Trans Day of Action in 2018. “I’m so proud of my son Samuel Joseph Mozes (called Seph) who graduated college this month,” she said. “I salute him and everyone else marking today’s #TransDayofAction.”
9. Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott
Images: Instagram @imdeanmcdermott; Instagram @torispelling
Although they are now divorced, McDermott and Spelling have raised two queer children together. McDermott’s son and Spelling’s stepson Jack came out as gay at the age of 17, with Spelling saying, “I was so proud of his confidence. He was who he was and he was proud of it.”
McDermott also announced that their child Liam identifies as trans when he was promoting the movie My Fake Boyfriend. “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,” he said. “I love that they get a safe space to come and watch this.”
10. Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union
Image: Instagram @gabunion
Wade and Union have been shining examples of how to love and affirm your trans child. When their daughter Zaya came out as trans in 2020, Wade and Union immediately started speaking out in public for trans rights, showing support for their daughter, and spreading the love they have for her.
“As your father, my job isn’t to create a version of myself or direct your future,” Wade said in a speech at the NAACP Image Awards. “My role is to be a facilitator to your hopes, your wishes, your dreams. Zaya, you’ve made me a better human, just simply by being who you were born to be, our baby girl, Zaya Wade.”
11. Eugene Levy
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Eugene Levy is a legend of comedy, starring in everything from American Pie, to Best in Show, to SCTV, to, of course, Schitt’s Creek. But he’s also a terrific dad to his gay son Dan Levy. Together, the two created Schitt’s Creek, where Eugene played Dan’s supportive father.
In a speech for GLAAD, Dan Levy thanked his parents and family for supporting him when he came out. "I was lucky enough to have a family that supported me fiercely and unconditionally when I needed it the most, when I came out at 18,” he said.
12. Colin Mochrie
Image: Facebook @Colin Mochrie
Mochrie, a canadian actor and comedian largely known for starring in Whose Line Is It Anyway is fully supportive of his trans daughter Kinley. When Mochrie posted on Facebook celebrating his daughter’s birthday and transphobes replied with hateful comments, Mochrie replied “To the trolls, my thoughts and prayers to your body for losing it’s mind and soul so tragically.” Burn.
13. Jennifer Lopez
Image: Instagram @emme_maribel_muniz
Superstar singer and actor Jennifer Lopez has shown support for her child Emme, including when the two performed together at the L.A. Dodgers Foundation’s Blue Diamond Gala.
“I ask them to sing with me all the time, but they won’t. So this is a very special occasion,” Lopez said about Emme, who’s father is Marc Anthony. “They are very, very busy. Booked. And pricey! It costs me when they come out.” Emme performed while holding a rainbow mic.
14. Liev Shreiber and Naomi Watts
Image: Instagram @naomiwatts
Shreiber and Watts are no longer married, but together, they support their trans daughter Kai. In 2022 for Kai’s 14th birthday, the two stars shared their love for her on Instagram. Shreiber shared a picture of the family saying “Happy birthday, beautiful Kai Kai.” Watts also shared a picture with her daughter, captioning it: “My darling Kai. Happy birthday to you! Your fierce talent, sharp mind, hilarious wit and gentle soul fills my heart every day. And 14 today! So fast! I’m beyond proud to be your mum. Keep leaping into the world with strength and grace.”
15. Magic Johnson
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NBA legend Magic Johnson fully supports his gay son EJ Johnson. The 64-year-old, who first shared his HIV diagnosis with the public 32 years ago, recently spoke out about his love for his son while accepting the Elizabeth Taylor Commitment to End AIDS Award.
After thanking his wife Cookie, he talked about EJ. “And I just want to thank you because now we support our unbelievable son, EJ, who is a beautiful gay man,” he said. “Stand on up, EJ. The fabulous EJ, stand on up.”
16. Marcia Gay Harden
Images: Instagram @mgh_8
Oscar-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden doesn't just have one queer child, she has three! At a Drag Isn’t Dangerous telethon in 2023, she revealed why she supports LGBTQ+ equality.
“What drives me is because it’s right and what’s happening right now is wrong,” she said. “What drives me is my children are all queer. My eldest child is nonbinary. My son is gay. My youngest is fluid. And you know, they are my kids and they teach me every day.”
17. Sade
Image: Instagram @izaaktheo
Sade, one of the greatest singers of all time, is also a great mother to her trans son Izaak Theo Adu. In a 2019 Instagram post, Izaak thanked his mom for always being there for him during his transition. “Thank you for staying by my side these past 6 months Mumma,” he said. “Thank you for fighting with me to complete the man I am. Thank you for your encouragement when things are hard, for the love you give me.”
18. Marlon Wayans
Image: JC Olivera/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images
Marlon Wayans recently announced that he has a transgender child, and that his next comedy special will be focused on his relationship with them. “And so I talk about the transition. Not their transition, but my transition as a parent going from ignorance and denial to complete unconditional love and acceptance,” he said about the upcoming special. “I think there’s a lot of parents out there that need to have that message, and I know. I’m dealing with it. It was a very painful situation for me. But, man, it’s one of the best, funniest hours I could possibly imagine.”
19. Sally Field
Image: Instagram @samg1287
Iconic actress Sally Field has supported her gay son Sam for over a decade. In 2016, she had advice for other parents of gay children. "Don't be frightened, don't put your own prejudices or fears about sexuality on your children," she said. "Sexuality is a human glorious part of existence and in Sam's case, certainly nature told him what to do, it wasn't something he looked to be. And he found it difficult to grapple with what nature had said you are."
"It's not against nature if nature has actually done this," she added. "Sam was always Sam - this wonderful human that he is - from the time he was born."
20. Sigourney Weaver
Image: Swan Gallet/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images
The Alien star revealed that their only child Char is nonbinary in 2022, saying that being a mom is “absolutely the most important thing” in her life. “They are non-binary. They teach at Columbia, digital storytelling, bots, misinformation, they are someone who is excited about AI and not frightened about it,” Weaver said about Char. “They were not at all interested in doing what I do. That made my husband and me very happy.”
