Dwyane Wade’s Daughter, Zaya, Made Her First Public Appearance Since Coming Out As Transgender
Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union recently stepped out with Zaya Wade for her first event since coming out.
Back in February, Dwyane shared with the world on the Ellen DeGeneres Show that his 12-year-old daughter is officially ready for the world to meet Zaya. Prior to her coming out as trans, she was given the name Zion. The Wades have been in full support of Zaya’s transition from the beginning.
Dwyane and Gabrielle were also there to offer support to Zaya on Saturday, March 7. According to Hollywood Life, they accompanied Zaya on her first-ever red carpet event. The three of them wore color-coordinated outfits in black, pink, white, and green. Zaya looked amazing in a bright, green blazer, black pants, and a pink clutch as she posed with her parents. The family attended the 6th annual Truth Awards for the evening. The awards ceremony celebrates the accomplishments and strides the LGBTQ+ community has made throughout the prior year. Both Dwyane and Gabrielle spoke at the event.
In Gabrielle’s speech, the Being Mary Jane alum explained the significance of having Zaya make her red carpet debut at the Truth Awards. While the Wades could’ve had their daughter make her appearance at any event, Gabrielle said it was important for them that Zaya be in a safe space for her night out. The actress also stressed the importance of allies speaking out beyond social media or even giving money to LGBTQ organizations and communities.
“Real allies actually show up,” Union said at the event.
“It goes beyond tweets and retweets and a check here and there. You actually need to show up and you got to be on the front lines and you got to show what leadership actually looks like.”
Dwyane then did his speech and discussed when Zaya first told him that she was transgender. He explained how neither he nor Gabrielle knew how to handle the news at the time, as they had never shared Zaya’s experience. The former Miami Heat player shared that they reached out to friends in the LGBTQ community who they felt could help Zaya navigate her journey. The couple has credited cast members from FX’s Pose for being some of their celebrity friends who have been there for Zaya.
Dwyane also posted a photo of Zaya on his Instagram page. He shared with his millions of followers that he was “re-introducing” Zaya to the world. He also said that in the short time since Zaya has come out, she has already “emerged as one of the young faces and voices for the LGBTQ+ community.”
