Since coming out as transgender in 2020, Zaya has received unconditional support from both her former 41-year-old NBA star father and her stepmother,Gabrielle Union, 50.
However, Zaya’s mother Siohvaughn Funches-Wade alleged in acourt filing last Novemberthat Dwayne was trying to “profit” from their daughter’s outreach towards a name and gender change.
Wade responded to the allegations on Instagram, stating, “I’ve received a social media post about me forcingour 15 year old childto be someone she’s not and to do something against her will. These are serious and harmful allegations that have hurt our children.”
Zaya Wade/instagram; getty
Continuing his statement, Wade detailed how Funches-Wade, 41, “tried a similar attempt over a decade ago (with equally damaging lies and causing irreparable harm to her children) and 13 lawyers later, I was awarded sole custody of our two kids as an active NBA player.”
“All I ever wanted wasto have my parenting timeuninterrupted, as I knew that it would be a very difficult time for our kids to navigate their new normal,” he explained.
Wade said that his ex-wife had “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 ofour child’s needs for her LIFE,” but claimed Funches-Wade was not willing to do so.
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Funches-Wade and Wade were married from 2002 to 2010, and share a 20-year-old son,Zaire Wade, along with Zaya.
Wadeis also dadto 8½-year-old sonXavier Zechariah, whom he shares with ex Aja Metoyer, and 3½-year-old daughterKaavia James, whom he shares with wife Union. He has also served as the legal guardian of his nephew Dahveon Morris, 21.
source: people.com
