Robert De Niro shows support for transgender daughter

Hollywood star Robert De Niro has said he is showing "love and support" for his daughter Airyn, after she came out as transgender.

In a recent interview with LGBTQ+ publication Them, Airyn De Niro spoke about "stepping into this new identity".

Airyn's famous father told Variety in a statement: "I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter.

"I don't know what the big deal is," he added. "I love all my children."

The Goodfellas actor's daughter, 29, noted how she began to transition last year because, as a transgender woman, "there's a difference between being visible and being seen.

"I've been visible. I don't think I've been seen yet."

Airyn, daughter of De Niro and Toukie Smith, also said the actress Laverne Cox had been an inspiration and that she now hoped to help expand trans visibility and to honour her black queer ancestors.

"Trans women being honest and open, especially [in] public spaces like social media and getting to see them in their success… I'm like, you know what? Maybe it's not too late for me."

And with regard to the experience of being one of seven De Niro children, she went on say that "no parent is perfect, but I am grateful that both my parents agreed to keep me out of the limelight.

"They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible."

Transgender women in the UK have come under scrutiny in recent weeks, after judges at the Supreme Court unanimously ruled a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law.

Now the UK's only ever judge to publicly say they are transgender is planning to take the government to the European Court of Human Rights over the ruling which she said violated her human rights.

Judge Lord Hodge said the ruling should not be seen as a triumph of one side over the other, and stressed that the law still gives protection against discrimination to transgender people.