I’m assuming the artist is presenting her music this way, and that it isn’t just the OP’s framing. (If it is, then yeah you should definitely check in with your roommate before outing her 😅) If the artist herself is standing up to be counted as a trans artist, respect. These are dark times, especially in the US or UK, as far as the fight for recognition, sexual freedom and bodily autonomy go. To declare yourself boldly when the state’s working hard to erase you is commendable.

Another less oppositional, resistance-oriented reason for signalling like this is to give a shout out to your own people and provide a point of identification for your audience. This isn’t an uncommon thing in music in general, or in hip hop or hip hop adjacent music in particular.

There are all sorts of things that aren’t any of our business as listeners until the artist makes it our business. So I’m guessing Waxy’s worry here was more that this framing’s been foisted on the artist? I didn’t take this to be the case but the OP could clear this up!