Current:Home > FinanceDwyane Wade Recalls Daughter Zaya Being "Scared" to Talk to Him About Her Identity-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Dwyane Wade Recalls Daughter Zaya Being "Scared" to Talk to Him About Her Identity
View Date:2024-12-24 00:21:16
Dwyane Wade remembers the day his eldest daughter Zaya Wade came out to him as transgender and the fear he witnessed upon her face.
The retired NBA star recalled the moment in a June 27 talk at the Creative Artists Agency Amplify event in Ojai, Calif., telling fellow NBA star Chris Paul and manager Lisa Metelus that he'd prepared for Zaya to come out because she'd previously described herself as gay on a school assignment when she was 8 years old.
"So I came home and I just remember my child being scared to talk to me, like hiding in my wife's arm in a chair," Wade, who is married to Gabrielle Union, said, per Today. "And it was fear in my child's face to tell me and so I had to check myself. I had to go look myself in the mirror and ask myself: 'Why was my child scared? Scared to tell me something about herself?'"
He continued, "In a lot of work as parents — and as people — what we do is we put our fears and everything on our kids. And I guess I was doing that," he said. "So I had to go look myself in the mirror and ask myself... What is it about my masculinity that has my child afraid?"
Dwyane revealed Zaya's gender identity on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2020, saying she told him and Gabrielle she was ready to live her truth. This past 2023, a court approved a petition from the basketball star, made on his 16-year-old daughter's behalf, to legally change her name and gender.
Months before coming out, on Thanksgiving 2019, Zaya and her family were trolled over the acrylic nails and crop top she wore in a family photo that Gabrielle shared on Instagram.
At the time, Dwyane fired back, writing, "Stupidity is apart of this world we live in—so i get it. But here's the thing—I've been chosen to lead my family not y'all. So we will continue to be us and support each other with pride, love & a smile!"
During Dwyane's recent conversation, he recalled how "the world went crazy" over the pic and the steps he took to protect and support his daughter.
"I became all kinds of things," he said, "because I support my child and being who she is."
He joked, "I've become gay," adding that he was wearing pink nail polish.
Dwyane continued, "I think the hardest part about it is shutting out the world and shutting out the people that really are not in (our) circle. But they have opinions and we are public-facing family."
Zaya herself has spoken about her family's support. In a March cover interview with British style publication Dazed, she said she feels most empowered "when my family surrounds me."
"They are such a giant support system and have always been there for me," she noted. "No matter what happens, I feel strongest when I'm with them."
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (4633)
Related
- NFL playoff picture Week 10: Lions stay out in front of loaded NFC field
- Elle King Shares Positive Personal Update 8 Months After Infamous Dolly Parton Tribute
- Human remains in Kentucky positively identified as the Kentucky highway shooter
- What to watch: Let's be bad with 'The Penguin' and 'Agatha All Along'
- Keke Palmer Says Ryan Murphy “Ripped” Into Her Over Scream Queens Schedule
- Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois live updates, undercard results, highlights
- Wisconsin Supreme Court agrees to decide whether Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stays on ballot
- Charlize Theron's Daughters Jackson and August Look So Tall in New Family Photo
- New wildfires burn in US Northeast while bigger blazes rage out West
- Police arrest 15-year old for making social media threats against DC schools
Ranking
- Republican Gabe Evans ousts Democratic US Rep. Yadira Caraveo in Colorado
- Man accused in shootings near homeless encampments in Minneapolis
- Aaron Rodgers isn't a savior just yet, but QB could be just what Jets need
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's crossword, I'm Cliche, Who Cares? (Freestyle)
- Moana 2 Star Dwayne Johnson Shares the Empowering Message Film Sends to Young Girls
- Judge asked to cancel referendum in slave descendants’ zoning battle with Georgia county
- What to watch: Let's be bad with 'The Penguin' and 'Agatha All Along'
- Lizzo Unveils Before-and-After Look at Weight Loss Transformation
Recommendation
-
Five best fits for Alex Bregman: Will Astros homegrown star leave as free agent?
-
American Airlines negotiates a contract extension with labor unions that it sued 5 years ago
-
Civil War Museum in Texas closing its doors in October; antique shop to sell artifacts
-
NFL analyst Cris Collinsworth to sign contract extension with NBC Sports, per report
-
Krispy Kreme is giving free dozens to early customers on World Kindness Day
-
The latest: Kentucky sheriff faces murder charge over courthouse killing of judge
-
S&P 500, Dow hit record highs after Fed cuts rates. What it means for your 401(k).
-
Kristen Bell Reveals Husband Dax Shephard's Reaction to Seeing This Celebrity On her Teen Bedroom Wall