By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-11 22:50:06 | Updated at 2026-08-11 23:13:53
1 hour ago
Rosie O'Donnell needed a permanent reminder to be mindful of her child Clay's pronouns after they came out as nonbinary in 2024 at the age of 12.
'It's very hard, honey. And [gender-neutral pronouns] really matters to them and I know it matters to them. And so when they first told me that it was they/them, I tried my best, but I kept saying "she,"' the 64-year-old expat comedian admitted on Amy Poehler's podcast Good Hang on Tuesday.
'And so they wrote on a cardboard paper, "they," and then they would hold it up above their head every time I said "She" like John Cusack in Say Anything, with the boombox just staring at me.'
O'Donnell proceeded to bring Clay, formerly known as Dakota, and their handwritten cardboard poster to her cousin's tattoo shop to have 'they' inked on her left wrist.
'I had it tattooed on my wrist so that I would never forget, that it would remind me. And I thought she'd be very touched, she didn't give two s***s. She could not care less,' the Gen-Xer recalled.
Rosie O'Donnell needed a permanent reminder to be mindful of her child Clay's pronouns after they came out as nonbinary in 2024 at the age of 12 (pictured April 2)
The 64-year-old expat comedian admitted on Amy Poehler's podcast Good Hang on Tuesday: '[Gender-neutral pronouns] really matters to them and I know it matters to them. And so when they first told me that it was they/them, I tried my best, but I kept saying "she"'
'I just [said she] again in the "they" story! I messed it up!'
Back in 2024, O'Donnell revealed to NBC 5 Chicago that the then 10-year-old schooled her on sex and gender: 'Mommy, [genitalia] is their sex. That's binary. I'm talking about their gender. And gender is infinite.'
The 12-time Emmy winner adopted 13-year-old Clay during her two-year marriage to late second ex-wife Michelle Rounds, which ended in 2015, and they moved to Ireland in January 2025 ahead of President Donald Trump's second term.
O'Donnell is also adoptive mother to four children - son Parker, 31, daughter Chelsea, 28, Blake, 26, and daughter Vivienne, 23 - from her three-year relationship with first ex-wife Kelli Carpenter, which ended in 2007.
The Dublin-based Long Island native famously came out as a lesbian during a stand-up set at Caroline's Comedy Club in New York City in February 2002 – four months before she concluded her daytime talk show following six seasons.
The Daily Mail has reached out to O'Donnell's rep for comment but did not immediately hear back.
She continued: 'And so they wrote on a cardboard paper, "they," and then they would hold it up above their head every time I said "She" like John Cusack in Say Anything, with the boombox just staring at me'
O'Donnell proceeded to bring Clay, formerly known as Dakota, and their handwritten cardboard poster to her cousin's tattoo shop to have 'they' inked on her left wrist (pictured July 21)
'I had it tattooed on my wrist so that I would never forget, that it would remind me. And I thought she'd be very touched, she didn't give two s***s. She could not care less,' the Gen-Xer recalled. 'I just [said she] again in the "they" story! I messed it up!'
O'Donnell adopted 13-year-old Clay during her two-year marriage to late second ex-wife Michelle Rounds, which ended in 2015, and they moved to Ireland in January 2025 ahead of President Donald Trump's second term (pictured March 22)
The 12-time Emmy winner is also adoptive mother to four children - son Parker, 31, daughter Chelsea (not pictured), 28, Blake, 26, and daughter Vivienne, 23 - from her three-year relationship with first ex-wife Kelli Carpenter, which ended in 2007
O'Donnell famously came out as a lesbian during a stand-up set at Caroline's Comedy Club in New York City in February 2002 - four months before she concluded her daytime talk show following six seasons (pictured July 24)
The Dublin-based Long Island native 'can't wait' to guest host a week of episodes of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live from August 17-20 while the titular 58-year-old host (pictured June 16) enjoys his summer vacation
Last Saturday, the silver-haired grandmother-of-five concluded her one-woman show Rosie O'Donnell: Common Knowledge after 12 performances at the Daryl Roth Theatre in New York City.
O'Donnell 'can't wait' to guest host a week of episodes of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live from August 17-20 while the titular 58-year-old host enjoys his summer vacation.
The Substack streamer will next portray Brenda in Frankie Shaw's black comedy heist film 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank – hitting US theaters next month – alongside Liam Neeson and Jim Sturgess.
For producing Hulu documentary Unleashing Hope, O'Donnell will compete for the outstanding daytime special trophy at the 53rd Daytime Emmy Awards, which stream October 30 on watch.theemmys.tv.
