Dwyane Wade’s daughter Zaya granted a legal name and gender change published February 26, 2023, 02:53 PM. Zaya Wade, the daughter of former NBA basketball player Dwyane Wade, has granted herself a legal name and gender change.
According to a report on E! News, Dwyane petitioned the court on Zaya’s behalf in August 2022. Zaya, 15, came out as transgender in 2020. She is the biological daughter of Dwyane and her ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches.
Moreover, Siohvaughn asked the judge to deny the request until she was “at the age of majority.”
A Guide to Dwyane Wade’s Family: Meet His Children and Their Mothers
An all-star dad! Dwyane Wade is the proud parent of a big family.
The Olympic gold medalist became a father in 2002, the same year he married high school sweetheart Siohvaughn Funches. So, the former couple split in 2007 and share a son Zaire and a daughter Zaya. Wade filed for divorce in 2010 and a messy court battle ensued.
More than a decade later, Funches accused her ex-husband of using Zaya for personal gain after Wade filed a petition to legally change her name to Zaya and her gender to female. “I have concerns that [Wade] may be pressuring our child to move forward with the name and gender change to capitalise on the financial opportunities that he has received from companies. Also will receive based upon [his] statements to me, based on our child’s name and/or gender change,” Funches alleged in court docs obtained by Us Weekly in November 2022.
Dwyane Wade’s trans daughter Zaya was granted an official name and gender change
Yeah, you read that right. The NBA champion’s transgender daughter Zaya Wade granted herself an official name and gender change. Also, the media outlet reported that TMZ, on Friday, a Los Angeles County judge signed off on the new legal identity for the 15-year-old.
Therefore, In August 2022, Dwyane Wade first filed a petition for the same in court. Now, the 15-year-old teenager is legally female and her full legal name is officially Zaya Malachi Airamis Wade.
When did Dwyane Wade’s daughter Zaya Wade come out as transgender?
Since then Zaya came out as transgender in 2020. So she has received immense love and support from both her former NBA player dad and her stepmom Gabrielle Union.
Dwyane Wade’s Strong Bond With Transgender Daughter Zaya Through the Years
Father-daughter connection! Dwyane Wade has been outspoken about how proud he is of his daughter Zaya’s growth through the years.
In February 2020, the professional basketball player announced that Zaya came out as transgender.
At the time, the athlete noted that it was the couple’s “job as parents to listen” to their children and to “give them the best information that we can, the best feedback that we can”.
Wade welcomed their son Zaire in 2002 and daughters er Zaya in 2007 with his ex Siohvaughn Funches. Also, in 2013, the former NBA player became a dad to his son Xavier, whom he shares with Aja Metoyer. So, after tying the knot with Union, the couple welcomed their daughter, Kaavia, via a surrogate in November 2018.
Moreover, the actress has also been candid about learning more about Zaya’s gender identity. “It’s watching the love handle the hate that has been encouraging,” the We’re Going to Need More Wine author told Variety in May 2020. “We’re just loving and accepting our kids, which is not revolutionary. To some people it’s nuts. For those people who have spoken out so publicly against our family … I’m not standing on my own. The cavalry is arriving, and they are unafraid to stand in their truth and not be compromising when we look at right and wrong.”
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