An author has come out as a transgender man after his husband transitioned from male to female – and the couple now live in a four-way relationship with their trans lovers.
Rowan Jette Knox, formerly known as Amanda Jette Knox, announced on his social media in August that he was ‘re-introducing’ himself as a trans man.
The Toronto-based writer and activist, who started taking testosterone earlier this week, follows in the footsteps of his husband-turned-wife and son-turned-daughter.
Knox’s wife Zoe was previously known as Mark but came out as transgender in July 2015, after 19 years of marriage.
The pair’s daughter Alexis revealed that she was transgender in early 2014.
Rowan says he too was born in the wrong body, but that it took a long time to come to terms with his true gender.
Rowan and Zoe live with their transgender partners Dani and Dame in the same Toronto house. Dani and Dame are themselves a couple.
Rowan describes the unusual relationship as a ‘polycule.’ He previously shared his delight at realizing he was non-binary before coming out as transgender and told PinkNews: ‘Trans joy is infectious’.
A polycule: Dani, Rowan, Zoe and Dame (from left to right) all live together in Toronto in a four-way relationship
Rowan Knox, formerly known as Amanda Jette Knox, announced on his social media earlier this year that he was ‘re-introducing’ himself as a trans man
In a post to his Instagram account, the writer said: ‘It is with joy, relief, and a fair amount of anxiety that I am re-introducing myself to you as Rowan Jette Knox.
‘I am a trans man, am medically transitioning, and will be exclusively using he/him pronouns going forward.
He continued: ‘I am a trans man, am medically transitioning, and will be exclusively using he/him pronouns going forward.
‘I’ve known this is who I am for a long time now, but I had to work up the courage to say it out loud.’
‘It took months of introspection therapy, long chats with loved ones, plenty of tears, and pushing through a lot of fear and denial to get here.’
In an article published late last month, Knox wrote that he and Zoe had started a polyamorous relationship with another transgender couple named Dani and Dame.
Knox wrote about first meeting Dani last year after reaching out to her to talk about an experience she had.
According to Knox, the two ‘bonded immediately in a way I rarely do these days’ before deciding they had fallen in love.
In a post to his Instagram, seen here, the writer reintroduced himself as Rowan Jette Knox
Rowan Knox, formerly known as Amanda Jette Knox, is seen here before he transitioned
Knox says the two then ‘encouraged’ their spouses to get to know one another. Dame and Zoe then also started falling for one another.
Knox and her wife then decided to relocate from their hometown of Ottawa to Toronto in January of this year to start a new life as a four-way couple.
It is unclear if Knox was known as Rowan at the time he met Dani, but he had said in his coming out post that he had been Rowan to his loved ones ‘for a good while now’.
He wrote: ‘It didn’t take long before we all realized that being apart more than we were together was too painful.
‘The two weeks we spent between visits felt like months. After much conversation and with careful planning, Zoë and I did something I had sworn I would never do.
‘We picked up stakes and moved to Toronto to start a new life with new loves.
‘The fact that our children were now grown and our jobs were remote made the transition easier—as did a painful period of growth I had undergone a few years earlier.’
Knox and Zoe are now in a polyamorous relationship with another transgender couple, named Dani and Dame (pictured together)
Rowan and Zoe’s daughter Alexis came out as transgender in an email to her parents in 2014. Alexis and Rowan, then known as Amanda, are seen above participating in the Microsoft video series titled My 24 Hrs
Zoe and Rowan also have a transgender daughter Alexis, who came out when she was in the sixth grade.
Alexis came out to her parents as transgender in February 2014 when she was just 11 years old after sending them an email.
Alexis and Rowan, who was then known as Amanda, had participated in a video series organized by Microsoft titled My 24 Hrs.
Speaking about the decision to come out on the series, Alexis said: ‘I always have been in a very accepting home. We’ve never forced gender roles.
‘Sending an email was just the easiest way for me because I was pretty scared of what my parents would think. It’s a really hard thing to do when you honestly don’t know.’
Rowan had previously published a blog post in 2020 about Alexis coming out, saying: ‘When she came out to us at eleven, she had limited language to describe how she felt, and the world was much more binary-thinking back then.
‘Now, at seventeen, she’s able to express how she sees herself more easily. She wanted us – and the world – to know that her identity isn’t binary.
‘Not only did she tell us this news, but she also updated her social media bios and has been talking about it openly with everyone.’
Rowan and Zoe also have two sons, as well as Alexis.
Knox had previously penned an article for Pink News about how ‘trans joy’ was infectious, writing: ‘Trans joy is infectious. And right now, the world needs more of it.
‘Make no mistake: in today’s world, trans joy is an act of defiance and power.’