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Former NBA player Dwyane Wade addressed recent allegations from his ex-wife regarding their child Zaya’s gender transition Thursday.
Wade filed a petition to change Zaya’s name and gender on the birth certificate, to which his ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches-Wade responded with an objection. Funches-Wade claimed that her former husband “is positioned to profit from the minor child’s name and gender change with various companies through contacts and marketing opportunities including but not limited to deals with Disney.”
“Since this must be the new way of parenting, I guess I have to address these allegations here, which is a d*** shame,” Wade wrote in an Instagram post. “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 ‘POSITIONED TO PROFIT’ FROM CHILD’S GENDER TRANSITION, EX-WIFE CLAIMS
Funches-Wade is asking that her child wait until the age of 18, when parental permission is not needed, to make these changes. That way, Zaya is not influenced by what Funches-Wade alleges could be scrutiny or pressure from the media or her father.
The former point guard claimed he wasn’t “suprised by Siohvaughn’s attempt to fight Zaya’s identity” but is “disappointed” with the woman he was married to from 2002 to 2010, ultimately settling custody over their two children in March 2011. Wade clarified in his post that he was ultimately awarded sole custody of both children.
Dwayne Wade and Family – 110222″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!” Wade continued his post. “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! As a woman who claims to be a ‘good Christian mother, I’ve yet to see her make any sacrifice in her children’s lives in over a decade.”
Zaya has the support of Wade, his wife Gabrielle Union, and their “village,” according to Wade. He assured his over 19 million followers that his lawyer will be in contact with Funches-Wade.
“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,” Wade said. “This isn’t a game for my family and definitely not for Zaya. This is her life!”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Wade has supported his child’s transition from the beginning, when Zaya was 12 years old, but noted that the identifying markers were present when his child was as young as 3 years old.
