"[7] Assigned female at birth, Dove spent their early years believing they were ugly: they had a larger physique than other children and youth, and were given the nickname "Tranny Danny".
[8] Initially, Dove claimed in interviews and biographies to have studied genetic engineering and civil law at University of California, Berkeley.
[9] Dove began a modeling career after being challenged by a friend to present themselves as a man in a Calvin Klein casting for underwear.
[14][15] Regarding the fashion industry and gender issues, Dove states that advertising agencies "aren't some evil illuminati trying to dupe the people into living heteronormative white lifestyles" and that they are simply "trying to make money in the safest way possible.
[18] In 2024 during the Israel–Hamas war, Dove founded the grassroots initiative Safebow Gazan Aid, which they co-direct with Egypt-based American Arielle El-Bagory, to evacuate "exceptionally vulnerable" Palestinians to Egypt and provide refugees with basic needs assistance.
"[7] In their work, this means using acting skills like changes in posture, gait and voice to strategically appear more femme or masculine at different times, both to "subvert expectations" of both gender expressions, and to "maximise opportunity and earnings".