News | Entertainment
26 Feb 2026 12:01
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Busy Philipps is teaching her mother about different pronouns after revealing her daughter is non-binary

    The 45-year-old actress revealed in December that her eldest child Birdie Leigh, 12, came out as gay when she was 10, and also said they use they/them pronouns


    And now, Busy – who has Birdie, as well as seven-year-old Cricket Pearl, with her husband Marc Silverstein – has said she’s doing her best to help her own mother “understand the pronoun conversation” so she can properly address her granddaughter.

    Busy said: “[My] mom is older and wants to understand the pronoun conversation more. I said to my mother, Here's the deal: You don't have to understand it.’

    “That's how I feel about all human rights - you don't have to understand it. You can choose to believe what you want, but you don't get to have jurisdiction over anyone else's body or belief system."

    When it comes to teaching her own children about taking care of themselves, the ‘Dawnson’s Creek’ alum believes "the secret with kids is leading by example”.

    She added to Health magazine: "I make a concerted effort to be aware of how I talk about diet and exercise around them - like, what my intention and goals are with those things. I'm also lucky that I have a partner in Marc, who does cycling and works out for his own mental health.

    "We talk about therapy in our house and never shy away from hard conversations. I've always been open - but not in that 'I'm not a regular mom; I'm a cool mom' way."

    In December, Busy revealed Birdie is “gay and out” whilst also admitting she was having a tough time adjusting to her daughter’s preferred pronouns.

    She said: "I said, 'You know, Bird, I've been doing a bad job with the pronouns.’ Because Birdie said that they would like their pronouns to be they/them, and I haven't been doing it, and I said because I have this public persona and I want Birdie to be in control of their own narrative and not have to answer to anybody outside of our friends and family if they don't want to.

    “Bird was like, 'I don't give a f***. You can talk about how I'm gay and out; you can talk about my pronouns. That would be cool with me. That's great.' So I said, 'Okay, I can talk about it on the podcast.' "

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     26 Feb: Jack Black has marked 20 years of marriage to Tanya Haden by sharing photographs and memories from their two decades together
     26 Feb: David Bowie's daughter has described being forcibly removed from her family home as a teenager and sent to a treatment centre
     26 Feb: Thierry Mabonga has defended John Davidson after the campaigner's use of the N-word during the BAFTAs
     26 Feb: John Davidson has said he is "deeply mortified" after shouting a racial slur during the Bafta Film Awards
     26 Feb: Nick Reiner has pleaded not guilty to murdering his parents
     26 Feb: Jamie Foxx has branded John Davidson's outbursts at the BAFTA Awards "unacceptable"
     26 Feb: Bad Bunny hailed Willie Colón as "one of the legends who contributed" to Latin music following his death
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    A new role and an appointment at New Zealand Rugby as part of their high performance overhaul More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Air New Zealand's feeling the squeeze of rising costs More...



     Today's News

    Entertainment:
    Jack Black has marked 20 years of marriage to Tanya Haden by sharing photographs and memories from their two decades together 11:51

    Entertainment:
    David Bowie's daughter has described being forcibly removed from her family home as a teenager and sent to a treatment centre 11:21

    International:
    Iceland to hold referendum on joining EU a decade after abandoning membership talks 11:17

    Living & Travel:
    TikTokers are ‘becoming Chinese’ in a new trend that’s part parody and part politics 11:17

    Accident and Emergency:
    Eight people have been taken to hospital after a crash in central Hawke's Bay this morning 11:07

    Basketball:
    Tall Blacks coach Judd Flavell is trying to progress Parker Jackson-Cartwright's basketball ambitions 10:57

    Entertainment:
    Thierry Mabonga has defended John Davidson after the campaigner's use of the N-word during the BAFTAs 10:51

    Law and Order:
    Two women will appear in court today - and a man next month - in relation to a reported shooting in Waikato's Te Kauwhata, north of Huntly 10:47

    National:
    How Peter Mandelson went from US ambassador to arrested over misconduct claims 10:37

    Politics:
    Australians urged to consider leaving Israel and Lebanon, as diplomats' families offered evacuation from Middle East 10:27


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd