Dwyane Wade shares 'proud' moment daughter came out as transgender
Wed. February 12, 2020 10:34 PM by OnTopMag.com
During an appearance Tuesday on Ellen DeGeneres' daytime talk show, Dwyane Wade shared the proud moment his 12-year-old daughter came out as transgender to him and his wife, actress Gabrielle Union.
The former professional basketball player told DeGeneres that his daughter Zaya told him and his wife that she wanted to start using female pronouns.
"First of all, me and my wife Gabrielle Union, we are proud, when I say proud, we are proud parents of a child in the LGBTQ+ community," he said. "And we're proud allies as well. And we take our roles and responsibilities as parents very seriously."
Wade said that it was the parents' responsibility to listen to their child.
"That doesn't change because sexuality is now involved in it," Wade said. "And so once Zaya, our 12-year-old came home ...and said, 'Hey, I want to talk to you guys, you know, I think going forward, I'm ready to live my truth and I want to be referenced as she and her. I would love for you guys to call me Zaya."
DeGeneres cheered Wade for not "freaking out" like other parents do when their children "don't go the way" they imagined.
Wade added that his wife reached out to the cast of FX's Pose to gather "as much information as we can to make sure that we give our child the best opportunity to be, you know, her best self."
Zaya is one of two children Wade had with ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches.
The former professional basketball player told DeGeneres that his daughter Zaya told him and his wife that she wanted to start using female pronouns.
"First of all, me and my wife Gabrielle Union, we are proud, when I say proud, we are proud parents of a child in the LGBTQ+ community," he said. "And we're proud allies as well. And we take our roles and responsibilities as parents very seriously."
Wade said that it was the parents' responsibility to listen to their child.
"That doesn't change because sexuality is now involved in it," Wade said. "And so once Zaya, our 12-year-old came home ...and said, 'Hey, I want to talk to you guys, you know, I think going forward, I'm ready to live my truth and I want to be referenced as she and her. I would love for you guys to call me Zaya."
DeGeneres cheered Wade for not "freaking out" like other parents do when their children "don't go the way" they imagined.
Wade added that his wife reached out to the cast of FX's Pose to gather "as much information as we can to make sure that we give our child the best opportunity to be, you know, her best self."
Zaya is one of two children Wade had with ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches.
Article provided in partnership with On Top Magazine