Grammy-winning producer D. Smith announces return to life as a man after 12 years as transgender Woman

Grammy-winning producer and filmmaker D. Smith has announced that he is returning to life as a man after spending the past 12 years publicly living as a transgender woman.

Smith shared the announcement in a personal statement on Friday, September 18, 2026, describing the decision as a new chapter in his life while making it clear that he does not view his past as a mistake.

He said the 12 years he spent living as a woman were real and shaped him through experiences, relationships and lessons that he will carry forward.

D. Smith begins new chapter

Smith explained that over the past several months, he had begun a new chapter and would now live and present as a man, using he/him pronouns.

“Going forward, I’ll be living and presenting as a man and using he/him pronouns,” he said.

Smith stressed that the decision was not about erasing his past or rejecting the experiences he had during the 12 years.

He said living publicly as a woman helped him understand the man he wanted to become.

“This isn’t about erasing my past. Living my life as a woman for 12 years showed me the man that I wanted to become,” Smith stated.

Smith expresses support for the transgender community

Despite his decision, Smith said his respect and love for the transgender community remained unchanged.

He maintained that everyone deserves dignity, safety, compassion and the freedom to become who they are.

“My respect and love for the transgender community remain unchanged,” he said.

Smith also reflected on his personal journey, saying life had continually challenged him to grow.

He said that even during moments when he felt tired, discouraged or alone, he found strength by choosing purpose over fear.

The producer expressed gratitude to the people who had supported him throughout the different seasons of his life.

Smith said there was much more to his journey than could be contained in the statement and suggested that he would share more of his story when the time was right.

“There is much more to this journey than can fit into this statement. When the time is right, I’ll share that story in full,” he said.

Smith concluded by asking for space as he continues to grow and navigate the latest chapter of his life.