Dwyane Wade’s Daughter Zaya Shares Lessons Learned From Stepmom Gabrielle Union Throughout Her Gender Transition Journey: ‘It’s About You Being You’

March 16, 2023 by Kay Johnson in Celebrity Kids with 0 Comments

Gabrielle Union, Zaya Wade, Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade’s Daughter Zaya Shares Lessons Learned From Stepmom Gabrielle Union Throughout Her Gender Transition Journey: ‘It’s About You Being You’

When it comes to support systems, Zaya Wade says her family has held her down.

The daughter of former NBA’er Dwyane Wade recently opened up about the importance of her family unit, and how their support has greatly impacted her life.

Zaya Wade

Reportedly, the 15-year-old preciously spoke about her family dynamic, which includes a famous athlete as a father and an equally famous stepmom, actress Gabrielle Union, during a recent interview. Appearing on her first-ever magazine cover, Zaya Wade expressed gratitude about having her family be her “biggest cheerleaders.” She stated:

“They are such a giant support system and have always been there for me…No matter what happens, I feel strongest when I’m with them.”

Gabrielle Union, Dwyane Wade, Zaya Wade, Zaire Wade

The budding young model – sibling to sister Kaavia, 4, and brothers Zaire, 21, and Xavier, 9 – also spoke about her relationship specifically with Gabrielle Union. Sharing what the “Being Mary Jane” star has taught her in recent years, Zaya added:

“It’s about being you and expressing yourself the way you want to. She tries to teach me that beauty standards are arbitrary and that they don’t mean anything…They don’t matter anymore; what people thought was the standard is not. And just that being myself is the best technique out there.”

Zaya Wade, Gabrielle Union

For Zaya, Union’s message on being you and expressing yourself authentically has certainly been key as of late. As we previously reported, the celebrity kid has been going through a gender transition since publicly abdicating her former name and gender back in 2020. She was granted a legal name and gender change just last month.

Though her new identity has caused much strife between her birth mother Siohvaughn Funches – who publicly opposed the decision – and her day-to-day guardians, Zaya seems hopeful her story will continue to be a light for change. She stated elsewhere in the interview:

“So many big changes have happened over the last couple of years with me, but also just in general. I think it’s not my job, but it’s my honour to continue and further my family’s education and appreciation for the entire LBGTQ+ community as we grow together.”