Since coming out as trans to parents Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union last year, Zaya Wade has been making an impact for teens everywhere who wish to live authentically. Whether it’s turning up on red carpets, like her appearance at last year’s sixth annual Truth Awards, or earning a spot on The Root’s Young Futurists 2020 list, the 13-year-old is emerging as “one of the young faces and voices for the LGBTQ+ community,” as her father put it on Instagram.
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Plus, she recently had a dream Zoom interview with one of her idols, Michelle Obama. During it, Wade asked Obama for advice to pass on to young listeners. She began by praising Wade for “being an amazing role model and embracing your truth.”
Now, Zaya’s proud parents have opened up to PEOPLE in a May cover story about their journey thus far and what they are learning along the way.
“When I look at Zaya, I get hope," Wade told the publication. “We raised our kids to be authentic.”
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Wade also spoke about how Zaya’s trans journey from early childhood has helped him dismantle some of his own conditioning.
"I come from a locker room of a macho, male-dominant sport,” he said. “But I started learning and I started to watch her. And from then on we started having more conversations."
As for Union, her educational process has involved reaching out to friends and followers on social media for support, saying that it helped her understand Zaya’s journey would not necessarily be a linear one.
"Everyone responded [to us] with love, resources and information,” Union said. "We weren't coming into it like it's got to be our way. We're going to mess up. We're going to say the wrong thing. But we had to learn and be led."
The couple’s efforts to support Zaya culminate in their LGBTQ+ advocacy work through the Wade Family Foundation. Union told PEOPLE that their advocacy includes zero tolerance for bigotry or hatred.
"Our home will never be a safe space for bigots," she said. "I look at problematic language as violence and I'm never going to expose anyone I love to violence, whether that be verbal, physical, emotional or spiritual. Jerks exist in every area of life. And we function from a place of truth in our household. But if you come at us, oh, be very prepared."
"We want to make sure [our kids] feel strong and supported and free to be exactly who they are," she added.
Alongside Zaya, Wade and Union are raising sons Xavier and Zaire (who, like Zaya, are Wade’s from previous relationships), Wade’s nephew Dahveon, and the daughter they share, 2-year-old Kaavia James. Kaavia is also the inspiration for a new children’s book Wade and Union wrote together called Shady Baby. Out May 18, it “teaches kids to speak their minds and stand up for what they believe in,” according to the publisher.
Beyond raising her diverse family, Union is prepping her second memoir, You Got Anything Stronger?, out September 14. And Wade is using his platform as an NBA superstar to raise awareness about LGBTQ+ issues at large. He recently spoke out in support of Brandon Boulware, the Missouri father whose now-viral speech urged legislators to reject a bill that would ban his trans daughter from playing sports. As Wade wrote on Instagram, “I vote AGAINST this legislation! I don’t know Brandon Boulware at all but I do know we have something real in common. Here’s the one thing we can’t do ‘SILENCE OUR CHILD’S SPIRIT’ Thank you for using your platform and sharing your family’s story! ‘Our kids are more than bedrooms, bathrooms and locker rooms.’”
And that, friends, is what true allyship looks like.
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