Rayna Tyson is Mike Tyson’s transgender child, whom the celebrated boxer shares a close bond with and has accepted the way they are. But their journey as nonbinary has been faced with many obstacles; being the child of a celebrity, they have received harsh criticism from the public.
Ramsey Tyson, who uses pronouns they/them, made headlines in 2020 when their dad, Mike Tyson, claimed they flew from New York to Los Angeles to take on rapper Boosie.
The activist said it was merely a coincidence that they were visiting LA when their dad interviewed the bigoted rapper for his podcast. The Brooklynite is a Tisch graduate and works in the film industry.
Mike Tyson, Ramsey and his youngest daughter attend a screening of “Tyson” at the AMC Loews 19th Street on April 20, 2009 in New York City. | Source: Getty Images
Ramsey Tyson’s Birth and Parents
Ramsey was born Rayna, on February 14, 1996, to Dr. Monica Teresa Turner and boxer Mike. The activist’s parents met at an impromptu party in 1990 at Eddie Murphy’s New Jersey house.
Turner, a pre-med student and former beauty queen, supported Mike through his 1993 rape conviction and regularly visited him in prison. The pair married in an intimate Muslim ceremony on April 19, 1997. Their other child, son Amir, was born on August 5, 1997.
Ramsey’s mother filed for divorce in January 2002 due to their father’s alleged infidelity and being a spendthrift. Turner lives out of the public eye and is a pediatric resident at Georgetown University Medical Centre. She serves as the COO of Debonair Attire, an apparel company founded with her son.
When Ramsey’s maternal grandmother died, they shared a moving video on YouTube in honor of her memory. The eight-minute compilation featured a collection of cherished photos, capturing moments of their grandmother and other family members throughout the years.
Ramsey Tyson Is in a Relationship
Ramsey, who is transmasculine and nonbinary, is in a relationship with a female-presenting individual who uses she/her pronouns. They proclaimed their love for their partner in multiple posts that pictured the lovers on picnics with friends. The activist has a cat named Basmati.
Ramsey does not hold any ill will towards their father for misgendering them in the media.
Work on Hollywood Film
Mike Tyson with his family at the 61st Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of “Tyson.” | Source: Getty Images
As a student, Ramsey served as a research intern on “The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson.” The documentary took a new look at Johnson’s suspicious death in 1992, and the lack of police investigation sparked protests in the gay community.
After graduation, they were a set staff assistant on the set of the Oscar-winning Hollywood film “Joker.” The divisive standalone film in the “Batman” franchise starred Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker.
Mike Tyson attends Citi Taste of Tennis on August 22, 2019 in New York City. | Source: Getty Images
Despite having a father in the spotlight, Ramsey Tyson now keeps their life private. As of now, their Instagram account is set to private, restricting access to the content to only approved followers. Previously, when the account was public, it amassed over 2,000 followers and featured 787 posts.
Ramsey Takes on Rapper Boosie over Bigoted Comments
Ramsey was visiting their dad in the studio the day Boosie, fresh off his transphobic comments about Dwyane Wade’s daughter Zaya, was booked on “Hot Boxin’ With Mike Tyson.” With a brief explainer from his child as context, the boxer laid into the rapper.
The online publication “Them” noted that though the conversation was not “meaningful,” Mike was praised by the social media community for his intentions. After the taping, Ramsey peppered Boosie with information on trans children:
“I ended up having to explain to him, even, that sexuality and gender are two different things, and he was blown away by that. He and his friends were like, ‘I never heard that before.’ And then I was like, ‘Oh, got it.’ He really has no idea what he was saying.”
Ramsey Is on Good Terms with Father Mike Tyson
Ramsey does not hold any ill will towards their father for misgendering them in the media. In an interview, they said that their father’s comments were not malicious:
“It’s very sweet to say that I inspired him in some way. But yeah, it’s always a little weird to be misgendered, let alone in Complex.”
At the time of the Boosie episode, they had not come out to the family as nonbinary. They asserted not being “super close” to their dad, but they briefly discussed gender identity with him.
Ramsey Tyson and their father, Mike Tyson, share a close and affectionate bond. During Halloween in 2020, Mike expressed his admiration for Ramsey by sharing a touching post. He posted a photo of Ramsey dressed as a boxer, paying homage to him.
In the caption, Mike expressed his appreciation, stating, “My daughter Rayna is so cool. She decided to pay homage to her dad… A boxer for Halloween.”
Ramsey supports The Trevor Project and Black Lives Matter. They are also involved with “Trans Asylias,” an organization aiding trans asylum seekers. They encourage people to seek out the opinions of trans people for issues related to the community.
