Dwyane Wade Responds To Ex-Wife’s Claims That He’s Exploiting Their 15-Year-Old Transgender Daughter For Financial Gain: These Are Serious & Harmful Allegations That Have Hurt Our Children

Dwyane Wade, Siohvaughn Funches, Zaya Wade

Dwyane Wade Responds To Ex-Wife’s Claims That He’s Exploiting Their 15-Year-Old Transgender Daughter For Financial Gain: These Are Serious & Harmful Allegations That Have Hurt Our Children

Dwyane Wade’s vacation in the motherland was seemingly interrupted amid his ex-wife making headlines for accusing him of exploiting their transgender daughter for financial gain.

Gabrielle Union, Dwyane Wade, Kaavia celebrating Union’s birthday in Africa.

This morning (Nov. 3) Dwyane Wade took to Instagram to speak out against his ex-wife’s, Siohvaughn Funches, claims that he’s attempting to compensate off of their 15-year-old transgender daughter’s, Zaya, “name and gender change.” Putting a pause on celebrating his current wife’s, Gabrielle Union, 50th birthday, the former Miami Heat player said:

“Since this must be the new way of parenting, I guess I have to address these allegations here, which is a d*mn shame.While I’m on a life-changing trip in our motherland, Africa, I’ve received a social media post about me forcing our 15 year old child to be someone she’s not and to do something against her will. These are serious and harmful allegations that have hurt our children.”

Dwyane Wade & Zaya Wade

Admitting his ex-wife’s actions were predictable, Dwyane Wade continued:

“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, l’m very disappointed that she continuously find ways of centering herself and HER needs, without regard to her children. This report came out while Zaya was in class. This is a kid who has maintained a 4.0 GPA in honors classes while navigating all this unsolicited and harmful attention and debates about her gender and sexuality from those who are committed to not listening to her, much less even knowing her!”

The 40-year-old elaborated on Siohvaughn Funches’ “mother-daughter” relationship with Zaya:

“Siohvaughn tried a similar attempt over a decade ago (with equally damaging lies and causing irreparable harm to her children) and 13 lawyers later, I was awarded sole custody of our two kids as an active NBA player! All I ever wanted was to have my parenting time uninterrupted, as I knew that it would be a very difficult time for our kids to navigate their new normal. So Instead of actually trying to co-parent over the years, she’s left her home to see more lawyers and has taken the time to talk to more lawyers since I filed for divorce, than she’s left her home to actually see or have truly spoken and LISTENED to Zaya over all these years.”

Zaire Wade, Siohvaughn Funches, Zaya Wade

He said:

“I’ve given her the opportunity to reach out to Zaya’s teachers, doctors and therapist over the years and even meet her friends, so she could get her own understanding of our child’s needs for her LIFE! She won’t do it! She has not been to a school, recital, graduation, school dance, play date, practice, parent teacher conference etc and Zaya has given her every opportunity to try to get to know her. She won’t do it!”

Dwyane and Siohvaughn Funches tied the knot in 2002 and called it quits in 2010. The ex-couple shares a 20-year-old son, Zaire, as well. Dwyane also shares an eight-year-old son, Xavier, with Aja Metoyer, and a three-year-old daughter, Kaavia, with actress Gabrielle Union.

Concluding his statement, the Chicago native said:

“As a woman who claims to be a “good Christian mother, I’ve yet to see her make any sacrifice or effort to leave her own home to participate in her children’s lives in over a decade. Zaya is not that same 3 year child anymore and she’s screaming that to the world but most importantly to her Mother! No one in our house would ever force Zaya or any of our children to do anything against their will, much less force an identity on them. This isn’t a game for my family and definitely not for Zaya. This is her life! All the while my wife and our village has been her rock in helping her pick up the pieces after heartbreak after heartbreak!”

Zaya Wade. Gabrielle Union, Kaavia Wade, Dwayne Wade,

He added:

“Siohvaughn has decided to pretty much be an absent parent to Zaya ALL ON HER OWN. As men, we get a bad rep for not showing up and being absentee fathers, well that’s not the case here because I’m ten toes down and I’m still going thru the BS! I will not sit on my hands this time and allow her to make a mockery of my dedication to my family. The high road has run out of real estate. My lawyer will be in contact and best of luck to the 14th lawyer as they try to unravel this book of lies that’s been sold to them.”

As previously reported, court documents were filed this week by Siohvaughn requesting that the court implements an order that would prevent Zaya from legally changing her gender from male to female on her birth certificate until she’s 18 years old. Zaya came out as transgender back in 2019 and her father has been in full support since then.

Dwayne Wade & Siohvaughn circa 2009

What are your thoughts on Dwyane Wade’s response to his ex-wife objecting to legally change Zaya Wade’s name and gender? Share it with us in the comments below.

[VIA]