Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union celebrate ‘wildly inspiring’ trans daughter Zaya and it’s parenting 101
Dwyane Wade, Zaya Wade and Gabrielle Union at the Better Brothers Los Angeles 6th annual Truth Awards on March 7, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Andrew Toth/Getty)
Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union dedicated their spot in TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2020 to their “wildly inspiring” trans daughter.
The retired NBA player and the actor poignantly spoke about their 13-year-old daughter Zaya, who they said they are “blessed” to be raising.
In a video accompanying the pair’s selection, Union said: “We have another daughter who is 13, who has freedom to be exactly who she is, who she was born to be, to be her most authentic self.
“She doesn’t ask permission to exist. That is wildly inspiring.”
“We’re inspired by our kids,” Wade said.
“The way they look at us, the way they look to us for leadership and guidance, for their moments of bravery.”
“Union and Wade set a powerful example for parents everywhere, when they shared their personal journey as allies in supporting their daughter Zaya, after she came out as transgender this February,” TIME journalist Cady Lang wrote.
“Both have been open about the ways in which they are learning from Zaya by listening and following her lead.
“In doing so, they’re helping to foster a more compassionate and understanding future for all young people who are figuring out who they are.”
Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union: ‘Parents who throw away trans kids are sad and pathetic.’
Union, 47, appeared on a socially distanced episode of The View in May and gave advice to other parents of trans kids.
She said: “To love your child, listen to your child, accept your child. Reject the notion that your children are disposable if they are not little mini versions of you.”
“We’ve just seen so many times people throw away their kids and it’s,” she said, “I don’t even have a word to describe it.
“It’s bizarre, sad, pathetic, heartbreaking. We just want to remind people that loving your kid is actually an option.
“Loving them, accepting them, helping to guide them in a way that reminds them that they are heard and seen and loved exactly as they are.”
