Basketball star Dwyane Wade is praising his child Zion Wade as a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community.
Dwyane and his wife, actress Gabrielle Union, are making it a priority to celebrate their courageous child. The 12-year-old, whom he has referred to using both male and female pronouns, is receiving nothing but unconditional love from the family.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: This Video of Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade’s Daughter Kaavia James Is Super-Relatable for All Food-Lovers
Dwyane Wade vocalizes support for 12-year-old Zion, who identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community.
“I’ve watched my son from day one become into who she now eventually has come into. Nothing changes my love. Nothing changes my responsibilities,” Dwyane shared on the podcast All the Smoke. “The only thing I got to do is get smarter and educate myself more. And that’s my job.”
The former Miami Heat guard discussed how his family prioritizes acceptance and how he is continuously learning from his kids.
“First of all, if you want to talk about strength and courage, my 12-year-old has way more than I have. You can learn something from your kids. In my household, man, that’s all we talk about. We talk about making sure our kids are seen by each of us, me and my wife, we talk about making sure our kids understand the power in their voice.”
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Gabrielle Union and Daughter Dressed Up in Matching ‘Bring It On’ Costumes for Halloween, and It Was Absolutely Everything
After receiving online hate, Dwyane is now using his platform to support members of the LGBTQ+ community.
“We want them to be whoever they feel like they can be in this world,” he said. “That’s how I go, ‘Understand that you can be whoever. You can be whatever…While you’re trying to go down that process, here’s what’s going to come at you: There is going to be a lot of negativity, there is going to be a lot of hate.’ It’s not even for my son’s sexuality, it’s for being a young black man. So everything that comes with that.”
The recently retired athlete also opened up about gaining sole custody of two of his children, including Zion, in 2011.
“I really didn’t have too many people I could reach out to to say, ‘Bro, how’s the process?’ Or give me confidence that I even can stand a chance. It was uncharted waters, but it was all about just being in my kids’ lives.”