Former Love & Hip Hop star and Grammy-nominated producer D. Smith has announced that he will begin living and presenting as a man again after 12 years of publicly living as a transgender woman.
D. Smith made the announcement on Instagram on September 17, sharing a photo of himself dressed in masculine clothing and saying he had entered a new chapter of his life.
The producer said his 12 years living as a woman were an important part of his journey and should not be viewed as something he regrets or wants to erase.
“Those years weren’t a mistake. They were real,” he wrote, adding that the experience introduced him to extraordinary people, profound experiences and lessons he would carry with him.
According to D. Smith, he had spent the past several months reflecting on his life and had decided that going forward, he would live and present as a man and use he/him pronouns.
He stressed that the decision was not about rejecting his past, explaining that his experience of living as a woman had helped him understand the man he wanted to become.
D. Smith also reaffirmed his respect for the transgender community, saying he continues to believe that everyone deserves dignity, safety, compassion and the freedom to become themselves.
The announcement marks another significant chapter in the public life of the musician, who previously spoke openly about the difficulties he faced after coming out as transgender.
D. Smith had said that his transition affected his career, claiming that some collaborators distanced themselves from him, projects were pulled and friends stopped returning his calls.
Despite those experiences, he continued to work in music and film and remained open about his journey.
In his latest statement, D. Smith said there was more to his story than could be captured in the announcement and indicated that he would share more details when he felt the time was right.
“For now, thank you for allowing me space to continue growing,” he wrote.
