Dwyane Wade’s Daughter Zaya Granted Name and Gender Change

A celebratory event! Congratulations are to ensure that Dwyane Wade’s daughter Zaya Wade, whose identify and gender change had been legally granted three years after she got here out as transgender.

A decide permitted the 15-year-old advocate’s requests on Friday, February 24, Us Weekly can affirm.The teen is now legally often known as Zaya Malachi Airamis Wade.

The former NBA star, 41, first revealed that his eldest daughter is transgender whereas on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in February 2020. (Dwyane shares Zaya and son Zaire, 21, with ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches, son Xavier, 9, with ex Aja Metoyer and daughter Kaavia, 4, with spouse Gabrielle Union.)

“First of all, me and my wife, Gabrielle Union, we are proud parents of a child in the LGBTQ+ community, and we’re proud allies as well,” the three-time NBA Championship winner shared on the time, recalling that Zaya spoke to him and the Bring It On actress about her gender id when she was 12 years previous.

“[She] said, ‘Hey, so I want to talk to you guys. I think going forward, I’m ready to live my truth. And I want to be referenced as she and her. I would love for you guys to call me Zaya,’” the athlete mentioned. “Now it’s our job to one, go out and get information, to reach out to every relationship that we have.”

Dwyane added: “I said, ‘You are a leader. You are a leader, and this is an opportunity to allow you to be a voice,’” he shared. “Right now it’s through us because she’s 12 years old, but eventually it will be through her.”

In the years since, Union and Dwyane have been a robust assist system for Zaya, who advised her dad and stepmom that she needed to have fun Pride 2022 not with an enormous celebration however by serving to others.

“The biggest thing is my daughter said, ‘We want to be able to help other families.’ So throughout our foundations, we try to make sure we are helping the LGBTQIA+ community,” the previous Miami Heat star solely advised Us on the time. “That’s how we celebrate.”

Several months later, Dwyane publicly hit again at his ex-wife after she filed authorized paperwork to dam Zaya’s identify and gender change.

In November 2022, Funches expressed “concern that [Dwyane] may be pressuring our child to move forward with the name and gender change in order to capitalize on the financial opportunities that he has received from companies, and will receive based upon [his] statements to me, on the basis of our child’s name and/or gender change,” per a courtroom submitting obtained by Us in November 2022.

Dwyane, for his half, defended his daughter amid Funches’ “serious and harmful allegations,” which he claimed through Instagram have “hurt” their kids.

“While none of us are surprised by Siohvaughn’s attempt to fight Zaya’s identity and her unwavering attempt to drag my name through the mud, I’m very disappointed that she continuously find ways of centering herself and HER needs, without regard to her children,” the Illinois native penned within the prolonged message. “All I ever wanted was to have my parenting time uninterrupted, as I knew that it would be a very difficult time for our kids to navigate their new normal. So Instead of actually trying to coparent over the years, she’s left her home to see more lawyers and has taken the time to talk to more lawyers since I filed for divorce, than she’s left her home to actually see or have truly spoken and LISTENED to Zaya over all these years.”

Zaya’s brother Zaire additionally got here to her protection within the face of his mother’s claims. “I love you Zaya,” he wrote through Instagram.

Though Zaya has not but addressed her authorized identify and gender change, she seems to be residing her greatest life.

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“Running late,” she captioned a shocking picture of herself on Thursday, February 23, donning just a little black gown and a shimmering choker necklace together with her hair in a prime knot. She rocked a full beat of make-up — together with icy shadow and a shiny lip — whereas elegantly posing together with her hand at her temple.