Gabrielle Union's husband Dwayne Wade recalls how 'proud' he was when daughter Zaya came out as transgender
Gabrielle Union's husband Dwyane Wade expressed how "proud" he is of daughter Zaya over her decision to come out as transgender on Tuesday's episode of 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show'.
The former NBA superstar, 38, has three children from a previous relationship -- namely Zaire, 18, Zaya, 12, and Xavier, 6 -- and one-year-old daughter Kaavia whom he shares with wife Gabrielle, 47.
Both parents have defended Zaya from online trolls throughout her journey as a young transgender person, Metro reported.
Speaking to Ellen DeGeneres, Dwane recounted the first time his daughter revealed she was transitioning.
"First of all, me and my wife Gabrielle, we are proud parents of a child in the LGBTQ+ community and we are proud allies as well," Wade told DeGeneres.
"Once Zaya, our 12-year-old, came home… first, Zion. I don’t know if everyone knows, originally named Zion. Zion, born as a boy, came home and said, 'Hey, so I want to talk to you guys. I think going forward, I’m ready to live my truth. And I want to be referenced as she and her. I’d love for you guys to call me Zaya,'" he recalled.
According to Wade, his actress wife used her industry connections to reach out to the cast of 'Pose' in a bid to "try and figure out" the way forward and to understand how Zaya could "be her best self."
"Once Zion came home and said 'call me Zaya' and was ready to take on this, I looked at her and said, 'You are a leader. It’s our opportunity to allow you to be a voice,'" the ex Miami Heat player revealed. "Right now it’s through us because she’s 12 years old, but eventually it will be through her."
The proud father also explained how he and Union took their parental roles "very seriously."
"So when our child comes home with a question, our child comes home with an issue, our child comes home with anything, it’s our job as parents to listen to that, to give them the best information we can, to give the best feedback we can," the NBA star stated.
"And that doesn’t change because sexuality is now involved in it," he added.