NEWSDwyane Wade Officially Files To Change Name & Gender Of Transgender Daughter Zaya
Proud dad Dwyane Wade requested that the court makes his transgender daughter, Zaya Wade, legally female. According to official documents, the former NBA star filed to have the 15-year-old's name changed from Zion Malachi Airamis Wade to Zaya Malachi Airamis Wade.
In the legal papers, Wade made the case that the mother of his child, Siohvaughn Funches, has been notified about the decision but will not be needed to give consent.
“Pursuant to the terms of the Final Custody Judgment, (Wade) has full authority to make decisions on behalf of the petitioning minor, and he is not required to receive consent from Ms. Funches-Wade. As a courtesy, Ms. Funches-Wade has received notice of this petition,” the document read.
The filing stated the motion was filed in order “to conform with gender identity.” A judge has yet to sign off on the request from the ex-Miami Heat team member.
Wade previously opened up about Zaya's transition, revealing there is an open dialogue within the family about how she could feel the most herself. “Our (then)-12-year-old … came home and said, 'Hey, I want to talk to you guys,' then asked to be called, Zaya,” Gabrielle Union's husband revealed during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2020.
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“We’re just trying to figure out as much information as we can to make sure that we give our child the best opportunity to be her best self," Wade noted.
The family has become staunch advocates for their child, with the athlete explaining to Time Magazine, “This is our life. We live this. When you’re out there making rules, if you’re not experiencing this, come and live a day with my daughter. Come and see how it is to walk through this world as her."
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“As blessed as it is for my daughter to have parents who can support her, I’m still afraid every moment she leaves the house," he admitted. "And not just because of gun violence, but because of the way people perceive her in this world."
The Blast obtained the court documents.
