Former NBA star and Marquette men's basketball standout Dwyane Wade spoke with Ellen DeGeneres about the moment his daughter came out to him as transgender.
Wade appeared on "The Ellen Show" Tuesday and revealed his 12-year-old is now going by Zaya instead of her birth name Zion.
"Me and my wife Gabrielle Union are proud parents of a child in the LGBTQ+ community, and we're proud allies as well," Wade told the audience. "We take our roles and responsibility as parents 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 that and give them the best information that we can, the best feedback that we can. And that doesn't change because sexuality is now involved."
Wade says their child, born as a boy, came home one day and told her parents that she wanted to referenced as "she" and "her" and asked them to call her Zaya.
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
"I looked at her and said 'You are a leader,'" Wade said referring to his initial conversation with Zaya. "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'll be through her."
