D. Smith is detransitioning after 12 years living as a woman. <\/p>\n
The \u201cLove & Hip Hop Atlanta\u201d star, 51, took to Instagram<\/a> to make the announcement on Friday, noting, \u201cFor most of my life, I\u2019ve followed my heart, even when the path wasn\u2019t easy to understand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOver the last twelve years, I lived my life publicly as a transgender woman,\u201d Smith continued, emphasizing, \u201cThose years weren\u2019t a mistake. They were real. They introduced me to extraordinary people, profound experiences, and lessons that I will always carry with me forever.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cLove & Hip Hop\u201d star D. Smith announced Thursday in an Instagram post he is detransitioning after living as a woman for 12 years and sharing the above photo of himself. Instagram\/D. SMITH<\/p>\n \u201cThose years weren\u2019t a mistake. They were real. They introduced me to extraordinary people, profound experiences, and lessons that I will always carry with me forever,\u201d Smith said of his time as a trans woman. YouTube\/ Love & Hip Hop<\/p>\n However, the reality star wrote, \u201cover the past several months,\u201d he\u2019s \u201cbegun a new chapter in life\u201d and will now \u201cbe living and presenting as a man and using he\/him pronouns.\u201d <\/p>\n Smith stressed, \u201cThis isn\u2019t about erasing my past. Living my life as a woman for 12 years showed me the man that I wanted to become.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy respect and love for the transgender community remain unchanged, and I continue to believe that every person deserves to live with dignity, safety, and compassion and have the freedom to become themselves,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The singer\/songwriter reflected on his life \u201cconstantly pushing [him] to grow,\u201d and said he\u2019d chosen \u201cpurpose over fear\u201d even in the face of adversity.<\/p>\n \u201cThis isn\u2019t about erasing my past,\u201d Smith stressed. \u201cLiving my life as a woman for 12 years showed me the man that I wanted to become.\u201d YouTube\/VH1<\/p>\n Smith said his \u201crespect and love for the transgender community remain unchanged,\u201d and that he still believes \u201cthat every person deserves to live with dignity, safety, and compassion and have the freedom to become themselves.\u201d YouTube\/ Love & Hip Hop<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tWant more celebrity and pop culture news?\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStart your day with Page Six Daily.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \u201cThere is much more to this journey than can\u2019t fit into this statement,\u201d he said, promising, \u201cWhen the time is right, I\u2019ll share that story in full.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUntil then, thank you for allowing me space to continue growing,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n The VH1 star \u2014 a Grammy-nominated musician who has worked with Lil Wayne, Kendrick Lamar, Katy Perry and Ciara \u2014 faced backlash after coming out as trans back in 2014.<\/p>\n Nonetheless, the TV personality was outspokenly proud of the distinction of being the first transgender person to appear on \u201cLove & Hip Hop Atlanta\u201d back in Season 5, which aired in 2016.<\/p>\n Smith \u2014 a Grammy-nominated musician who has worked with the likes of Lil Wayne and Katy Perry \u2014 was the first transgender person to appear on \u201cLove & Hip Hop.\u201d Smith appeared on Season 5 of the show back in 2016. YouTube\/ Love & Hip Hop<\/p>\n Smith\u2019s Instagram post garnered support in the comments section \u2014 including a heartfelt \u201clove letter\u201d from \u201cPose\u201d actress Indya Moore, who is pictured above in December 2025. Variety via Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cI realized that the more trans people who are in the light will create awareness for trans people,\u201d Smith said at the time, according to The Post<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are all just trying to live, and it\u2019s great to have this platform, so I\u2019m very happy to be on the show.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith\u2019s post about detransitioning garnered an outpouring of support in the comments section, including a heartfelt \u201clove letter\u201d from \u201cPose\u201d actress Indya Moore, a trans woman.<\/p>\n \u201cOur experience in transness is so much more complex than just being trans \u2014 though our experience is siloed that way \u2014 but being trans is just one of the various facets of being a Human being \u2014 and being by a human being is glorious reflection of so many ways life exists,\u201d Moore wrote.<\/p>\n God bless you, may you be protected, and free of any harm people whose hearts are swollen with hatred and resentment may target you with,\u201d she continued. \u201cMay peace, grace and mercy be showered upon you through all your days, in this life and the next.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t