NBA great Dwyane Wade opens up on supporting his transgender daughter

NBA legend Dwyane Wade has won widespread admiration for opening up about having a transgender daughter to Ellen DeGeneres.

NBA icon Dwyane Wade has been praised after opening up to Ellen DeGeneres about how he and his wife have supported their daughter Zaya coming out as transgender.

Recently retired Wade, who won three championships with Miami Heat during a decorated NBA career, told DeGeneres how proud he and wife Gabrielle Union are of 12-year-old Zaya — who was originally born a boy and named Zion.

Wade also explained the steps he and Union took to become more informed when Zaya told them of her desire to be referenced with “she” and “her” pronouns, saying having a transgender child didn’t change their fundamental approach to parenting.

“Me and my wife Gabrielle Union, we are proud parents of a child in the LGBTQ-plus community and we’re proud of our lives as well,” Wade told DeGeneres.

“We take our roles and our responsibilities very seriously so 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 give them the best information we can, the best feedback we can. And that doesn’t change because sexuality is now involved in it.”

Wade recalled how Zaya came home one day and told her parents she was “ready to live my truth” and asked to be called Zaya instead of Zion — a decision Wade and Union have embraced as they supported their child as best they could.

“Internally that was our job to, one, go out and get information, to reach out to every relationship that we have,” Wade said.

“We just tried to figure out as much information as we can to make sure that we give our child the best opportunity to be her best self.

“Once Zion came home and said, ‘Hey, call me Zaya, I’m ready to take on this’ I looked at her and said, ‘You are a leader and this is our opportunity to allow you to be a voice’.

“Right now it’s through us because she’s 12-years-old, but eventually it will be through her.”

Union later posted a video on social media of her husband and Zaya together where Zaya eloquently explained why it’s so important for other people in her position to embrace their true selves.

“If they’re afraid they will be judged, I would say, don’t even think about that. Just be true to yourself because … what’s the point of being on this earth if you’re going to try to be someone that you’re not?” Zaya said.

“It’s like you’re not even living as yourself, which is the dumbest concept to me. Be true and don’t really care what the stereotypical way of being you is.”

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

Wade was widely praised for his honest discussion on Ellen. Writing for SB Nation, trans reporter Kim McCauley said the NBA legend was a great example for other parents of LGBTQ children.

“I hope a lot of queer kids and their parents see Wade’s open support of his daughter,” McCauley wrote.

“It’s important for queer kids to see their parents also have the potential to be supportive, even if they don’t yet fully understand LGBTQ issues, and it’s important for those parents to see an example that doesn’t feel impossible to follow.

“Every prominent story like Dwyane and Zaya Wade’s chips away at stigmas, gives people a little bit more information, and makes life a little bit easier for the queer kids who haven’t yet had that conversation with their parents.”

Thank YOU and @DwyaneWade for being such great examples as parents, especially as parents of an LGBTQ kid. Those of us who grew up feeling like we had to hide who we are, for whatever reason, appreciate your love and vocal support being part of the changing tides 🙏💕

— Mark Sundstrom (@106th) February 11, 2020

rebranding as a gabrielle union and dwyane wade fan account

— sloane (sipihkopiyesis) (@cottoncandaddy) February 11, 2020

The unconditional love from @DwyaneWade & @itsgabrielleu. Wish all kids could have parents like that. Gabrielle has become one of my biggest heroes over this last year or so, seeing her politics and her social awareness.

— Tufayel Ahmed (@tufayel) February 11, 2020