Hill Harper Faces Backlash After Referring To Dwyane Wade’s Daughter Zaya As A Male, Later Apologizes 

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Hill Harper Faces Backlash After Referring To Dwyane Wade’s Daughter Zaya Wade As A Male, Later Apologizes

Author Hill Harper is receiving some backlash after wishing Zaya Wade a happy birthday, but referring to him as male instead of as a female. The comment was made on a birthday post by Zaya Wade’s step-mother Gabrielle Union-Wade. On the post, Hill Harper wrote:

Happy Birthday young man!! Read ” Letters to a Young Brother”!!! Your mom wrote something in it!! You’ll love it! Have a great day!! 

After he posted the message, Hill Harper was met with backlash for mis identifying Zaya Wade’s gender. See some reactions below:

In 2019 (Oct.15), Dwyane Wade, publicly identified Zaya as a girl. 

Earlier this year (Feb.11) Dwayne Wade revealed that he no longer referred to his middle-child as Zion or boy, but instead be called Zaya. During an interview, he stated:

“When Zaya, our 12-year-old came home, first Zion, I don’t know if everyone knows, originally named Zion, born as a boy, came home and said ‘Hey, so I wanna talk to you guys. I think going forward I’m ready to live my truth. And I wanna be referenced as ‘she’ and ‘her.’ I would love for you guys to call me Zaya.’ So internally, it’s our job to 1, go out and get information, to reach out to every relationship that we have. My wife reached out to everybody on the cast of ‘POSE’. We’re just trying to figure out as much information we can to make sure that we give our child the best opportunity to be her best self.”

He continued,

“Once Zion came home and said, ‘Hey call me Zaya, I’m ready to take on this.’ I looked at her and said ‘You are a leader. This is your opportunity to be a voice. Right now it’s through us because she’s 12-years-old, but eventually it will be through her.”

Dwyane Wade, Gabrielle Union and their kids

Hill Harper has since apologized for comments to Zaya Wade. Through a series of tweets, Harper said:

There are many challenging things going on in the world and I certainly didn’t intend my birthday wish to be a negative distraction and certainly didn’t want it to take away from a celebratory birthday for Zaya. I extend my heartfelt apology to Zaya [and] the Wade family. I am human and I am learning and often trying to do too many things which leads to mistakes like this one. I’m sorry to those my post offended, that was certainly not my intention. I misgendered my friend’s child and I am so sorry to Zaya[…] I celebrate Zaya.

How do you feel about Hill Harper’s remarks? Leave your thoughts with us in the comments.