Earlier this year, Charlize Theron disclosed that she would be raising her seven-year-old adopted child, Jackson, as a girl.
She has since revealed that Jackson feels "hurt" when called by the "wrong pronouns."
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Charlize Theron Says Her Daughter Jackson Was 'Hurt' Over Being Called The 'Wrong Pronouns'
Charlize Theron has two children, who are both adopted.
Instagram | @charlizeafrica
She adopted Jackson in March 2012, and August in July 2015.
In an interview with the "Daily Mail," Charlize revealed that initially, she thought Jackson was a boy — as most of us did as well.
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"Yes, I thought she was a boy too. Until she looked at me when she was 3 years old and said: ‘I am not a boy!'" she said.
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She explained that it isn't up to her to decide her child's gender — it's whatever they choose to be.
"So there you go! I have two beautiful daughters, Jackson and August, who, just like any parent, I want to protect and I want to see thrive."
Instagram | @charlizeafrica
"They were born who they are and exactly where in the world both of them get to find themselves as they grow up, and who they want to be, is not for me to decide," she added.
She went on, saying that she believes it isn't the parent's duty to decide how their child identifies themselves.
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But rather, "celebrate them and to love them and to make sure that they have everything they need in order to be what they want to be."
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We couldn't agree more!
This immediately sparked praise from fans and other celebrities.
This person tweeted that hearing about Charlize's decision to raise her daughter, Jackson, as a girl, made her tear up, and that if her own parents had made the same decision her life would be very different.
For the amount of applause she was receiving, she was also experiencing a significant amount of criticism — claiming that a three-year-old can hardly decide what they want to eat, let alone identify their own gender.
Instagram | @charlizeafrica
But others pointed out that Jackson has had plenty of time to change her mind in the event that it was just a phase.
Another person raised the point that Jackson has the rest of her life to decide what she wants to be and is welcome to change her mind as much or as little as she wants.
They explained that nothing is permanent. If Jackson decides she's actually a boy later in life and transitions again that's okay too — she isn't being forced into anything.
In a more recent interview with "People Magazine," Charlize revealed that Jackson, who is now seven years old, feels hurt when she is called by the wrong pronoun.
She admitted that even she is still learning the correct pronouns to use.
“Well, this is all pretty new for us, so it hasn’t really kind of come into question," Charlize said.
"I don’t really necessarily know if it will."
“My daughter’s story is really her story, and one day, if she chooses, she’ll tell her story,” she continued.
“I feel like as her mother, for me, it was important to let the world know that I would appreciate it if they would use the right pronouns for her.”
“It became harder for us the older she got that people were still writing about her in the wrong pronouns."
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"Also I was still talking about her in the press using the wrong pronoun."
"It really hurt her feelings," she said.
"I don’t want to be that mom, and that was really why I said what I said a while back."
"I haven’t really talked about it ever since."
Instagram | @charlizeafrica
"Again, because outside of just asking that respectfully of the press — and the world, hopefully — the rest is really private and it's her story."
"It’s really up to her to decide if she wants to share that."
Instagram | @charlizeafrica
Every child that is LGBTQ+ deserves to grow up in a supportive, loving family like this one!
We officially stan Charlize Theron even more than we already did.
Mama bear of the year!
Let us know what you think of her decision to trust her child's instincts and raise her as a girl.
Instagram | @charlizeafrica
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