Rosie O’Donnell’s Journey with Her Non-Binary Child
Rosie O’Donnell, the well-known liberal celebrity, has been candid about her efforts to support her non-binary teenager. She shared her experiences regarding using the appropriate pronouns, particularly “they,” which her daughter prefers.
The 64-year-old actress took significant steps, believing that her initiatives would impress her daughter. However, she soon realized that her teenage child was mostly indifferent to her attempts. “I thought she would be very impressed, but she didn’t mind at all,” O’Donnell admitted, reflecting on her attempts.
In a recent episode of the “Good Hang” podcast with Amy Poehler, O’Donnell recounted a humorous interaction. Her daughter created a placard with the word “they” to remind her of the correct pronouns. “It’s pretty funny,” O’Donnell laughed, describing how her child would hold it up whenever she accidentally called her “she.”
“I love how you always make real-time corrections,” Poehler remarked, acknowledging O’Donnell’s efforts and the significance of such gestures for her daughter. O’Donnell shared her commitment to honoring her child’s identity, though she occasionally stumbled, saying, “I messed it up.”
Interestingly, O’Donnell got a tattoo of “them” in her daughter’s handwriting as a reminder. “I thought she would be very moved, but she didn’t mind twice,” she mentioned, with a hint of amusement.
In sharing her experience, O’Donnell accidentally misgendered her child while telling the story. “I just said ‘she’ again,” she said with a laugh.
Her 13-year-old daughter, originally named Dakota, changed her name to Clay in 2024 as she began to express her non-binary identity. O’Donnell publicly came out as gay in 2002 and was previously married to Michelle Lowndes.
Following a turbulent custody battle, O’Donnell and Lowndes adopted Dakota, but sadly, the relationship ended in tragedy with Lowndes’ passing in 2017.
In 2025, O’Donnell moved to Ireland, expressing that she would return only when all Americans had “equal rights.”
