*D. Smith says he will live and present as a man after spending the past 12 years publicly living as a transgender woman.
The former “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta” star announced the change in an Instagram statement. Smith said the decision follows several months of personal change and reflection.
“For most of my life, I’ve followed my heart, even when the path wasn’t easy to understand,” Smith wrote. “Over the last twelve years, I lived my life publicly as a transgender woman.”
Smith made clear that he does not view those years as something he needs to disown.
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“Those years weren’t a mistake. They were real,” Smith wrote. “They introduced me to extraordinary people, profound experiences, and lessons that I will always carry with me forever.”
Smith then explained what will change as he moves forward.
“Over the past several months, I’ve begun a new chapter in my life,” he wrote. “Going forward, I’ll be living and presenting as a man and using he/him pronouns.”
Smith also addressed how his past shaped the person he wants to become.
“This isn’t about erasing my past,” he wrote. “Living my life as a woman for 12 years showed me the man that I wanted to become.”
Smith emphasized that his feelings toward the transgender community have not changed.
“My respect and love for the transgender community remain unchanged,” Smith wrote. He added that everyone deserves “dignity, safety, and compassion” and the freedom to become themselves.
Smith joined Season 5 of “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta” in 2016 and became the franchise’s first transgender cast member. His career extends well beyond reality television. Smith earned a Grammy for his production work on Lil Wayne’s 2008 album “Tha Carter III.”
Smith later directed “Kokomo City,” a documentary centered on four Black transgender sex workers. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023.
In his statement, Smith thanked the people who supported him throughout different stages of his life. He also indicated that he plans to share more about his experience later.
“There is much more to this journey than can’t fit into this statement,” Smith wrote. “When the time is right, I’ll share that story in full.”
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