NBA star Dwyane Wade and actress Gabrielle
Union have built a blended family rooted in
love.
Their inner circle includes their daughter
Kaavia, born via surrogate in 2018, his nephew,
and Wade's children from previous relationships,
including Wade's 12-year-old child, who has
come out as transgender.
In a February 2020 episode of The Ellen DeGeneres
Show, Wade explained that his child, originally
named Zion, now wants to be known as Zaya.
The NBA player explained that the preteen
initiated a conversation with her parents.
Wade recounted that she'd said:
"Hey, so I want to talk to you guys.
I think going forward I'm ready to live my
truth.
I want to be referenced as 'she' and 'her.'
I would love for you guys to call me Zaya."
Wade described how he felt in that moment.
He explained:
"Once Zaya came home and said, 'I want you
to call me Zaya and I'm ready to take on this,'
I looked at her and said, 'You are a leader.
And this is our opportunity to allow you to
be a voice.'
Right now it's through us, because she's 12
years old, but eventually it will be through
her."
If and when she's ready to take on a more
public role, her parents will be behind her
every step of the way.
"What's the point of being on this Earth if
you're gonna try to be someone you're not?"
While sitting down for a chat on The Ellen
DeGeneres Show, Dwyane Wade opened up about
his role as a father to his transgender daughter,
Zaya.
He said, quote, "Me and my wife, Gabrielle
Union, are proud parents of a child in the
LGBTQ+ community.
And we are proud allies as well."
He went on:
"We take our roles and our responsibility
as parents very seriously.
When our child comes home with a question,
when a child comes home with an issue, when
a child comes home with anything, it's our
job as parents to listen to that, to give
them the best information that we can, to
give them the best feedback that we can, and
that doesn't change because sexuality is now
involved in it."
However, the Miami Heat icon understands that
parents may not always be immediately equipped
to handle what their children need, which
is why he says part of the adult's responsibility
is to seek out help.
His family has gotten involved with an organization
called GLSEN that focuses on supporting LGBTQ+
students.
He explained:
"It's now our job to go out and get information,
to reach out to every relationship that we
have."
In his case, he said Union, quote, "reached
out to everybody on the cast of Pose," a show
that features LGBTQ+ performers.
This was part of his attempt to, quote, "figure
out as much information as we can to make
sure that we give our child the best opportunity
to be her best self."
Ellen DeGeneres praised the way Dwyane Wade
was handling his daughter's transition, and
her "truth", saying that all parents should
love their children unconditionally and accept
them for who they are just as Wade and Union
do.
This isn't the first time Dwyane Wade has
openly and proudly supported Zaya.
Back in June 2019, the family attended the
Miami Pride Parade together.
While talking about the event with Variety,
Wade said, quote, "I don't really talk about
it much because it's [Zaya]'s story to tell."
However, he was willing to talk about his
family as a whole, as well as his own role
as a dad.
He opened up:
"I think as a family, we should support each
other.
You know, that's our job.
And my job as a father is to facilitate their
lives and to support them and be behind them
in whatever they want to do."
The Miami Heat basketball star was asked if
he had anything to share with other parents
of LGBTQ+ children.
His take?
"I think people expect you to parent each
kid the same.
They are all different, and I have to get
to know them and where they are.
I have to say to most parents, get to know
your kids.
Don't put your wants and needs on them."
That's good advice for all parents.
Thanks, Dwyane!
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