- A Los Angeles judge has approved Zaya Wade’s petition to legally change her name and gender.
- Dwyane Wade said in February 2020 that he supported Zaya’s decision to change his pronouns.
- Zaya’s mother, Siohvaughn Funches, tried to block Zaya’s name and gender change in November 2022.
Dwyane Wade’s 15-year-old daughter has legally changed her name and gender, according to court documents obtained by Insider.
A Los Angeles County judge granted the change on Friday. His legal name is now Zaya Malachi Airamis Wade. The former NBA superstar filed the petition on his daughter’s behalf in August 2022, more than two years after Zaya came out as transgender. The judge also ruled that Zaya is legally recognized as a woman, which future official documents will reflect to match her gender identity.
Representatives for Wade did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
Dwyane Wade confirmed in February 2020 that Zaya’s pronouns are “she/her”.
Wade has publicly supported Zaya on several occasions, including attending the Miami Beach Pride parade with her in June 2019 and later lambasting people who criticized Zaya for wearing a crop top in December. In February 2020, Dwyane confirmed on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” that Zaya had changed her name and pronouns.
“I and my wife – my wife Gabrielle Union – are proud parents of a child from the LGBTQ community, and we are also proud allies. We take our roles and responsibilities as parents very seriously,” said Wade told DeGeneres.
He added: “When a kid comes home with a question, when a kid comes home with a problem, when a kid comes home with anything, that’s our job as parents. ‘to listen to that, to give them the best possible information, the best possible feedback. And that doesn’t change because sexuality is now involved.’
Wade told DeGeneres that he and Union started learning about the LGBTQ community after Zaya came out. He’s previously said he ignores the LGBTQ community, but having a transgender daughter has inspired him to reflect.
“Internally, it was our job to go out and get information, reach out to all the relationships we have. My wife reached out to everyone on the cast of ‘Pose,'” Wade said. . “We’re just trying to find as much information as possible to make sure we’re giving our child the best opportunity to be her best self.”
Dwyane Wade’s ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches opposed Zaya’s name and gender change in November 2022
Zaya’s mother, Siohvaughn Funches, filed a petition in November 2020 opposing Zaya’s name and gender change, according to Today. Funches and Wade were married from 2002 to 2010.
The outlet reported that Funches asked Zaya to wait until “the age of majority” to make permanent changes to his identity.
Shortly after, Wade responded to Funches’ petition and called her an “absent parent”.
“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 am very disappointed that she continually finds ways to center herself and of HIS needs, regardless of his children,” Wade wrote in an Instagram post the same month.
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