Dwyane Wade now refers to his son, Zion, as Zaya. The former NBA player tells Ellen DeGeneres why he and his wife, Gabrielle Union, recognize their daughter by her new name.
“Me and my wife, Gabrielle Union, we are proud parents of a child in the LGBTQ+ community,” Dwyane shares. “We’re proud allies as well,” he adds.
“We take our role and responsibility as parents very seriously. So when a child comes home with a question – a child comes home with an issue, a child comes home with anything – it’s our job as parents to give them the best information that we can, [and to] give them the best feedback that we can. That doesn’t change because sexuality is now involved with it.”
Zion Wade came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community last year during PRIDE month. The youngster had the support of his family as he enjoyed the Miami PRIDE parade with the masses. Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union reiterated their support of Zaya by promoting a line of t-shirts that gave financial support to the LGBTQ+ community.
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Dwyane tells Ellen that his daughter came up with her new name. “Zion, born as a boy, came home and said, ‘Hey, so I want to talk to you guys. I think going forth, I’m ready to live my truth. And I want to be referenced as ‘she’ and ‘her.’ I would love [it] if you guys would call me Zaya,'” the celebrity father shares.
“My wife reached out to everyone on the cast of Pose,” Wade shares. “We just tried to figure out as much information as we could to make sure that we gave our child the best opportunity to be her best self.”
Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union parent four kids together. Stay tuned for more celebrity family news!
Photo: Dwyane Wade/Instagram
