Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union’s passionate speech to daughter Zaya is a masterclass in parenting
Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union accept the President’s Award at the NAACP Image Awards. (Getty)
Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union have shown what good trans parenting is all about in an NAACP speech dedicated to their daughter.
The couple gave an emotional speech after accepting the President’s Award at the 54th annual NAACP ceremony on Saturday (25 February).
NAACP CEO Derrick Johnson told Variety that the two were selected because of their unwavering support for their child Zaya Wade, who came out as trans in 2020.
Johnson said he adored the activism on display with the couple, adding that it’s “significant” for a father and mother to “stand strong in support of their child.”
During their speech, Dwyane spoke directly to Zaya, thanking her for the chance to become a true LGBTQ+ ally.
“As your father, all I’ve wanted to do was get it right,” he said.
“I’ve sat back and watched how gracefully you’ve taken on the public scrutiny, and even though it’s not easy, I watched you walk out of that house every morning as yourself.
“I admire how you’ve handled the ignorance in our world. I admire what you face every day.
“To say that your village is proud of you is an understatement.”
The heartwarming moment came shortly following the news that Zaya Wade’s gender was legally recognised by court officials.
Court documents obtained by People revealed that Dwyane’s daughter is now legally recognised as Zaya Malachi Airamis Wade and has obtained the right to use her preferred gender markers.
The help she received from her parents is just one of the reasons many have described Dwyane and Gabrielle as the perfect trans parents.
“As your father, my job isn’t to create a version of myself or direct your future, my role is to be a facilitator to your hopes, your wishes, and your dreams,” Dwyane continued.
“Zaya, you’ve made me a better human just simply by being who you were born to be – a baby girl, Zaya Wade.”
Elsewhere during their acceptance speeches, Gabrielle Union-Wade noted the issues faced by Black LGBTQ+ people, while asking the crowd “will we fight for some, or will we fight for all our people?”
“Let’s just name a couple hard truths,” she said.
“First, the intersection of Black rights and the rights of LGBTQIA people continues to be rough – that’s a huge understatement.
“Second, Black trans people are being targeted, terrorised, and hunted in this country. Every day everywhere.
“There’s rarely a whisper about it.”
Gabrielle finished by saying that she was “hopeful that we may witness a real shift in the fight for justice.”
