Dwyane Wade hypes up trans daughter Zaya as she stars in new fashion campaign
Zaya Wade has the biggest cheerleader in her dad, former NBA player Dwyane Wade. (Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Revolve)
Zaya Wade has the biggest cheerleader in her dad, former NBA player Dwyane Wade. (Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Revolve)
Former basketball star Dwyane Wade has again shown his support for trans daughter Zaya, after she starred in her latest fashion campaign.
Dwyane publicly announced that Zaya had come out as trans in 2020, telling Ellen DeGeneres how his daughter had shared her identity with him and his wife, Gabrielle Union, Zaya’s stepmother.
Taking to Instagram, the model shared a series of images from the high-fashion photoshoot for Who What Wear, including one of her posing in a brown leather coat against a blue car, and another of her wearing a white trench coat, while astride a motorbike.
Dwyane responded with a fire emoji, while Gabrielle liked the post and reposted it to her Instagram Story.
Speaking to Who What Wear, Zaya said: “My stepmom has instilled such a confidence in my femininity. I tried to compensate in every single way and it was so draining. She was so adamant about telling me that I don’t have to look or act a certain way, I can just be me. I thank her every day for it.”
In 2022, Zaya modelled for prestigious jewellery brand Tiffany & Co, and made her runway debut the following year, walking for Miu Miu womenswear.
Zaya, who turns 18 later this month, and her father are co-founders of Translatable, a safe space for transgender people of colour, their families and LGBTQ+ youth.
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