‘Never been prouder’: Author Khaled Hosseini on daughter coming out as transgender

Afghan-American novelist Khaled Hosseini, who is known for his books like The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, took to social media on Wednesday, July 13, to share that his daughter, Haris, has come out as a transgender person.

In an emotional note, the 57-year-old author revealed that he has known about his twenty-one-year-old daughter Haris’s journey for a year, and noted how transitioning can be emotionally, physically, socially and psychologically trying. “Yesterday, my twenty-one year old daughter Haris came out to the world as transgender. I have known about Haris’ journey since last year and I’ve watched her navigate some very trying personal times.”

Hosseini added, “Transitioning is such a complicated undertaking — emotionally, physically, socially, psychologically — but Haris has met each challenge with grace, patience, and wisdom.”

He also said that he has “never been prouder of her.” “I am delighted to now have not one but two beautiful daughters.”

Khaled also lauded Haris for being fearless and for having the courage to embrace her true self. “Most of all, I am inspired by Haris’ fearlessness, her courage to share with the world her true self. She has taught me and our family so much about bravery, about truth. About what it means to live authentically. I know this process was painful for her, fraught with grief and anxiety. She is sober to the cruelty trans people are subjected to daily. But she is strong and undaunted.” 

Assuring that he will continue supporting his daughter, Khaled concluded the post , “I love my daughter. I will be by her side every step of the way, as will our family. We stand behind her. It’s a privilege to watch her enter the world as the beautiful, wise, and brilliant woman that she is. May God bless her.” He shared two monochrome photos along with the note: one was a recent photo of Haris, and the other was of her as a child, sitting on her father’s lap.