Dwyane Wade takes an adorable selfie with daughter Zaya ahead of winter formal
Father-daughter connection! Dwyane Wade has been candid about how proud he is of his daughter Zaya’s growth over the years.
In February 2020, the professional basketball player announced that Zaya was transgender. “First of all, me and my wife, Gabriel Unionwe are proud parents of a child in the LGBTQ+ community, and we are proud allies as well,” Wade said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, adding, “We take our role and our responsibilities as parents very seriously.
At the time, the athlete noted that it was the couple’s “job as parents to listen to their kids” and “give them the best information and feedback possible. And that doesn’t change because sexuality is now involved. ”
Wade welcomed son Zaire in 2002 and daughter Zaya in 2007 with his ex Siohvaughn Funches. In 2013, the former NBA player became a father to son Xavier, with whom he shares Aja Metoyer. After tying the knot with Union, the couple welcomed their daughter, Kaavia, through a surrogate in November 2018.
The actress has also been outspoken about learning more about Zaya’s gender identity. “It’s watching the love deal with the hate that has been encouraging,” the We need more wine author told Variety in May 2020. “We just love and accept our children, which is not revolutionary. It’s crazy for some people. For those people who have spoken out so openly against our family… I am not alone. The cavalry are coming and they are not afraid to stand in their truth and not compromise when looking at right and wrong.
Prior to Pride in June 2022, Wade praised his daughter for her ability to be honest about her personal journey. “I didn’t tell my chef for years that I don’t like cilantro on my burger — as an adult, it took me years to have the confidence to say that,” he told CNN at that moment. “My daughter, at age 8, had the confidence to say, ‘This is who I am. This is who I want to be.’”
That same month, the Illinois native applauded his child for her interest in helping others in the LGBTQIA+ community. “My family, we are not celebrating [Pride]. Zaya made it very clear that she [doesn’t] wants to celebrate Pride. I think every day for her, having a loving, supportive community around her is her moment of celebration,” he told exclusive Us weekly. “But the most important thing is that my daughter said: ‘We want to be able to help other families.’ So with all of our foundations, we try to make sure we help the LGBTQIA+ community, and that’s how we celebrate.”
In November 2022, Wade fired back at Funches after the business owner accused him of profiting from Zaya’s gender identity. “I worry about that [Dwyane] can pressure our child to go ahead with the name and gender change in order to take advantage of the financial opportunities he has been given and will receive from companies based on [his] statements to me, based on our child’s name and/or gender reassignment,” the AWOW Women entrepreneur claimed in a police report obtained by us, referring to her ex-husband’s petition to legally change Zaya’s name .
The NBA player publicly refuted Funches’ allegations via Instagram, claiming that her “serious and damaging allegations” have “hurt” their children. “While none of us are surprised by Siohvaughn’s attempt to challenge Zaya’s identity and her relentless attempt to drag my name through the mud, I am deeply disappointed that she continues to find ways to center herself and HER needs without regard to take care of her children.” Wade wrote in November.
He continued, “All I ever wanted was to have my parenting time uninterrupted because I knew it was going to be a really tough time for our kids to navigate their new normal. So instead of really trying to co-parent over the years she’s left her house to see more lawyers and has taken the time to talk to more lawyers since I filed for divorce than she has her left home to actually see or really talk to each other and I’ve listened to Zaya all these years.”
Scroll down for Wade’s most meaningful quotes about his bond with Zaya: