Who are Dwyane Wade's kids? NBA star 'very disappointed' by ex-wife's comments about trans daughter Zaya
Dwyane Wade hit back at his ex-wife, after Siohvaughn Funches-Wade, accused him of trying to take advantage of his transgender daughter Zaya by seeking a legal name and gender change for the teenager. After Funches-Wade filed an objection in a Los Angeles court to try to stop his petition filed in August to have the 15-year-old's birth name changed to Zaya and her gender changed to female, the sports celebrity turned to his verified Instagram account to expose his wife's "damaging lies."
“I’m very disappointed that she continuously finds ways of centering herself and HER needs, without regard to her children,” Wade, 40, wrote. “I’ve given her the opportunity to reach out to Zaya’s teachers, doctors and therapist over the years and even meet her friends, so she could get her own understanding of our child’s needs for her LIFE!” he continued.
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According to Page Six, Funches-Wade said in her civil petition that her ex-husband "informed me that a lot of money had been made and that additional money will be made in relation to our child's name and gender issue." “[Wade] told me that he intended to make our child very famous due to the name and gender issue and also informed me that there would be endorsements/contracts associated therewith,” she stated in her petition. “I am concerned that our child is being commercialized at a young age and also of the uncontrollable consequences of media exposure i.e. cyberbullying, statements and/or pictures taken out of context of our child, and the unwanted spotlight focused on our child,” she added.
In response, Wade wrote that “No one in our house would ever force Zaya or any of our children to do anything against their will, much less force an identity on them.” “This isn’t a game for my family and definitely not for Zaya,” he wrote. “This is her life!” He also called his ex-wife an "absent parent" who has not attended any of their children's "recital, graduation, school dance, play date, practice, parent-teacher conference etc.” “The high road has run out of real estate,” he concluded. “My lawyer will be in contact.”
Wade and her wife Gabrielle Union have referred to her as Zaya ever since she came out as transgender in 2019 at the age of 12. Wade stated in an interview on the Ellen DeGeneres show, “Our (then) 12-year-old came home...and said, 'Hey, 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 and I would love for you guys to call me Zaya.’”
Since coming out, Zaya has amassed tens of thousands of followers on social media and modeling contracts with brands like Tiffany and Dove. According to her mother, she is also negotiating with Disney for deals.
Wade and Funches-Wade got married in 2002 and divorced in 2010. In 2014, he married actress Gabrielle Union. After divorcing Siohvaughn Funches-Wade in 2011, Wade obtained full custody of the children, according to the Daily Mail. He also has one daughter with his current wife, Gabrielle, Kaavia Wade born via surrogacy. He also has a son named Xavier Wade with Aja Metoyer and is also the legal guardian of his nephew.