Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union are giving a new definition to parenting as they have both spoken candidly about the gender journey of their son Zion, 12, who made the decision to identify as female and now goes by the name Zaya.
Dwayne, retired basketball star, 38, opened up during the interview on the Elen show with Ellen DeGeneres about parenting Zaya, who he shares with his ex-wife Siohnaughn Funches.
He explained that Zaya was born as Zion, assigned male at birth, and wanted to live her truth.
Wade explained that he and his wife Gabrielle Union, 47, are proud allies of the LGBTQ+ community and also detailed how they are educating themselves on the situation.
“Once Zion, born a boy, came home and said, ‘hey, so I want to talk to you guy. I think going forward I want to live my truth, and I want to be referenced as she and her. I would want you guys to call me Zaya.’” Wade recalled.
He continued, “ When our child comes home with a question, When our child comes home with anything, its our job as parents to listen to that, to give them the best information as we can, the best feeb back that we can. And that doesn’t change because sexuality is now involved in it.”
“We are just trying 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.”
Union’s warm message
Union also took to Twitter on Tuesday with a video and a warm message to introduce Zaya.
In the video, Wade and Zaya ride in a golf cart talking, with Zaya telling her dad, “You gotta just push through, I mean its worth it, when you reach the point of like yourself.”