Dwyane Wade shares how daughter Zaya, 12, came out as transgender
By
Social Links for
Eileen Reslen
Published
Feb. 11, 2020, 11:47 a.m. ET
Dwyane Wade is speaking out in support of his 12-year-old daughter, Zaya Wade, after confirming she is transgender.
“Me and my wife — my wife Gabrielle Union — we are proud parents of a child in the LGBTQ+ community, and we’re proud allies, as well,” Wade, 38, said Tuesday on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
The former NBA star’s child recently came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community in 2019.
In April, Zaya attended Miami Pride. Over the holidays, Union posted a family photo of her wearing a crop top and acrylic nails, which sparked criticism online.
“We take our roles and our responsibilities as parents very seriously,” Wade told Ellen DeGeneres, adding that he and Union, 47, feel it is their job as parents give their kids the “best information that we can, the best feedback that we can, and that doesn’t change because sexuality is now involved in it.”
The former Miami Heat player said Zaya — whose birth name was Zion — came home one day and told her parents that she was “ready to live my truth” and wanted them to use female pronouns when they referred to her.
The couple share 1-year-old daughter, Kaavia James, and Wade has three other children from previous relationships, including Zaya.