Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union Embrace Daughter’s New Transgender Identity

Dwyane Wade is proud to introduce to the world his daughter Zaya, who recently came out to identify herself as a transgender girl.

In an intimate interview with Ellen DeGeneres earlier this week, the retired NBA star stated the he and his wife Gabrielle Union are “proud parents of a child in the LGBTQ+ community” and that they take their parenting responsibilities “very seriously.” Union and Wade even went as far as reaching out to the cast of Pose to better understand how to navigate their next steps as parents of an LGBTQ+ child.

Wade recalled the day Zaya sat down and opened up about her sexual orientation, requesting that Wade and his wife address her with she/her pronouns instead of he/him.

“When our child comes home with a question, when our child comes home with an issue, when our child comes home with anything, it’s our job as parents to listen to that, to give them the best information we can, the best feedback we can,” he says. “And that doesn’t change because sexuality is now involved.”

On Tuesday morning, Gabrielle Union took to Twitter to celebrate Zaya’s coming out, describing her as “compassionate, loving, whip smart” girl.

Meet Zaya. She’s compassionate, loving, whip smart and we are so proud of her. It’s Ok to listen to, love & respect your children exactly as they are. Love and light good people. pic.twitter.com/G2lLVdD2VT

— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) February 11, 2020

Politicians and celebrities offered their best wishes in return, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, activist April Reign, and Buzzfeed writer Sylvia Obell.

Congratulations to Wade and Union for their positivity and unconditional support for Zaya during a time of big changes. It’s only going to get even brighter from here!