Dwyane Wade says daughter Zaya, 12, has known she was transgender 'since she was three years old' and her journey made him 'check himself' after using the 'wrong phrases' in the locker room
- Basketball great Dwyane Wade said 12-year-old Zaya knew she was transgender and identified as female since she was 'three years old'
- Zaya was originally named Zion and was born as a boy
- The 38-year-old retired athlete opened up on his daughter's gender identity on Good Morning American on Tuesday
- 'She’s known it for nine years... Along this way we’ve asked questions and we’ve learned. But she’s known,' he said in the candid interview
- Wade said he had to reconcile his own biases and 'check himself'
- 'I’ve been a person in a locker room that has been a part of the conversation that has said the wrong phrases and the wrong words myself,' Wade said
- Zaya's journey will be featured in Wade's new documentary D. Wade: Life Unexpected that will debut on ESPN on February 23
Basketball star Dwyane Wade said his 12-year-old daughter Zaya knew her gender identity years for 'nine years' before coming out as transgender to her family.
The 38-year-old retired athlete proudly called his daughter 'our leader' and revealed she sat their family down to reveal she identifies as a female.
'She’s known it for nine years. She’s known since she was three years old,' Wade said in a sit down interview with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America on Tuesday.
'Along this way we’ve asked questions and we’ve learned. But she’s known,' he said.
Zaya was originally named Zion and was born as a boy.
'Myself and my family, we love the fact that she doesn't have to hide who she is. She is our leader.'
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Basketball star Dwyane Wade said his 12-year-old daughter Zaya knew her gender identity years for 'nine years' before coming out as trans to her family
'She’s known it for nine years. She’s known since she was three years old,' Wade said in a sit down interview with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America on Tuesday
Wade will talk about his daughter's gender identity in his upcoming documentary D. Wade: Life Unexpected. Pictured above with wife Gabrielle Union, daughter Zaya, and in his arms baby Kaavia
But Wade admitted he had hunches about Zaya from an early age, and had to look at his own biases and language.
'I knew early on that I had to check myself. That’s what I knew. I knew early on that I had to ask myself questions,' he said.
'I’ve been a person in a locker room that has been a part of the conversation that has said the wrong phrases and the wrong words myself,' Wade revealed.
'As I got older and I watched my daughter grow, I had to go and look at myself in the mirror and say, "Who are you? What are you going to do if your child comes home and says, 'Dad, I’m not a boy … I’m a trans girl.' What are you going to do?" That was my moment of real,' he said.
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Zaya's journey will be featured in Wade's new documentary D. Wade: Life Unexpected where he opens up about his basketball career, and family life with wife Gabrielle Union and four kids.
As well as Zaya, Wade is father to 15-month old daughter Kaavia James; Xavier Zachariah, six; and Zaire Blessing Dwyane, 18. He is also the guardian of his nephew Dahveon Morris, 18.
The documentary will debut on Sunday February 23 on ESPN.
'I struggled on how much I wanted to talk about it in the doc, I actually did talk about it a lot, but I knew if I put it in the doc at all it would be a big conversation,' Wade said.
'This is no game to us. We're about protecting her heart and about protecting her joy and we have to support them.'
Wade revealed that Zaya (above) sat their family down to come out as trans. 'She was the one that sat down with us as a family and said I don't think I'm gay. This is my gender identity. I identify myself as a young lady. I think I'm a straight trans because I still like boys,' he said
But Wade admitted it that though he had hunches, it took him a while to reconcile his own biases to embrace Zaya's identity. 'I knew early on that I had to check myself. That’s what I knew. I knew early on that I had to ask myself questions,' he said. Pictured above with Zaya
As the family navigates these new waters, Wade said Zaya is talking the helm. She was the one who initiated a conversation with Wade and his wife Union, 47, to come out.
'Zaya early on knew two things. She knew straight and she knew gay. But Zaya started doing more research. She was the one that sat down with us as a family and said I don't think I'm gay,' Wade said.
'This is my gender identity. I identify myself as a young lady. I think I'm a straight trans because I still like boys. So it was just a process for us to sit down with our daughter and figure out who she is and what she likes,' Wade added.
This is the first time Wade has ever had someone close in his life come out 'as gay, as trans, as anything'.
'My daughter was my first interaction when it comes to having to deal with this conversation,' he said.
'Hopefully I’m dealing with it the right way. Some people feel that I’m not. But inside our home, we see the smile on her face. We see the confidence that she’s able to walk around and be herself. And that’s when you know you’re doing right,' he added.
This is the first time Wade has ever had someone close in his life come out 'as gay, as trans, as anything'. 'My daughter was my first interaction when it comes to having to deal with this conversation,' Wade said. Pictured above with Zaya, baby Kaavia, and wife Gabrielle Union
Zaya pictured with stepmom Gabrielle Union and baby Kaavia
Giving advice to other parent going through something similar he said, 'The biggest thing is have an open mind. Go out and research. Ask you child. Ask other people questions because this conversation is real.'
'Our 12-year-old deals with this every single day. This is her life everyday. This is no game to us. We're about protecting her heart. We're about protecting her joy,' he added.
'Our family is imperfect but we love each other for who we are,' Wade said.
When asked how Zaya is handling coming out, he says she's focusing on her school work.
'She's a kid that wants to focus on school,' Wade said. 'Today she has a mock trial at school that she’s stressing about. And she’s like, ‘Dad, I came out to everyone cause I wanted to be me. And I’m thankful that I’m able to be me, but I need to focus on my trial at school.’ She’s focused. I think for her and myself and my wife and my family, we love the fact that she doesn’t have to hide who she is.'
