In an incredible show of love and support for his trans child Zaya, NBA icon Dwyane Wade has reportedly filed a request to legally change her name and gender.
According to The Blast, Wade made the petition on the Los Angeles Superior Court. The former Miami Heat star is requesting for his child's name to be changed from Zion Malachi Airamis Wade to Zaya Malachi Airamis Wade. He also wants his child to be declared female in all legal documents.
Since Zaya is only 15 years old, Wade needed to do the request. The three-time NBA champion has told the court that he has “full authority” to file the petition even without the consent of the mother, Siohvaughn Funches. However, he did notify Funches of the legal request as a courtesy.
Wade has always been supportive of Zaya ever since the youngster came out as a transgender at the age of 12. He has spoken about it publicly, adding that he had to educate himself more about the LGBTQ community during the transition.
“I’ve watched my son from day one come into who she now has eventually come into … Nothing changes with my love, nothing changes with my responsibilities,” Wade said back in 2019. “The only thing I got to do now is get smarter and educate myself more.”
Of course Dwyane Wade has his fears for his daughter. While he is a supportive parent, he understands it's hard to change the perception of others towards members of the LGBTQ community.
“As blessed as it is for my daughter to have parents who can support her, I’m still afraid every moment she leaves our house,” Wade added. “And not just because of gun violence, but because of the way people perceive her in this world.”
Should the court grant Wade's request, it will definitely be a big step for Zaya to fully transition.
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