The Walking Dead's Khary Payton reveals son is transgender, emotional fans say 'this is how you parent'
'The Walking Dead' star Khary Payton took to Instagram today (June 15) to make a proud announcement. In a heartfelt note, the actor revealed that his son Karter is a transgender, who was born a female but always chose to identify himself as a boy.
Payton shared a picture of Karter and wrote, "This my kid. One of the most happy, well-adjusted individuals I've ever known. My son, Karter. Karter with a K because it reminded him of my name. He chose it. You see, he was born female but has always identified as a boy. He thought it would be cool if I announced it on social media." He further expressed his concern over Karter getting bullied for his identity. When Payton told his son "there would be so many supporters but also a lot of jerks who would be harsh", Karter apparently responded, "Yeah, I know about trolls, daddy. I can handle trolls."
Taking pride in his little son, Payton added in his post, "There is nothing more beautiful than watching your child feel the joy of exploring what it means to be true to themselves. This is his journey, and I am here for it. I hope you all have the opportunity to feel the unquenchable love that I am feeling right now." Besides being lauded for parenting his child right, Payton also got many of his fans emotional by encouraging his son to follow his heart and standing by him through his journey.
Meanwhile, a few of the LGBTQ community thanked the actor for setting the right example and representing their voice. "From a 32-year-old transman who didn't have an accepting family, this made me tear up. This is how you be a PARENT. You love and support your son. I am glad he has a strong support system starting out so young! Thank you for being an ally not just for him but for the community," read one tweet. Twitter users have also showered Karter with love and blessings, praising him for being a brave kid. One of the internet users wrote, "Hey Karter! You are such an awesome and brave kid to want your dad to share this with us. Thank you for letting him share this. The road ahead won’t always be easy, but you’re strong and have so much support so don’t ever allow the trolls to get you down."