Dwyane Wade has high praise for Marlon Wayans after the comedian opened up about supporting his transgender child.
Wade is also the parent of a transgender child – something he has been very outspoken about since his daughter Zaya began her transition.
The NBA legend and his wife Gabrielle Union are among the many celebrity parents who have used their platform to promote transgender rights after being inspired by their children.
Now, Wade would like to welcome Wayans to the club, after the White Chicks actor spoke publicly about his son’s transition, and how he has dealt with that transition as a parent.
Speaking to Variety during last week’s GQ Men of the Year party, Wade “saluted” Wayans, and any other father who can openly support their child, no matter what their gender identity may be.
“I think unconditional love allows us to step in and listen and learn of what we do not know and what we were not taught, especially in the Black community,” he told the publication.
“I salute Marlon for speaking out and speaking up about this experience with his child just the same way as I’ve done.
“We’re just the voices that are speaking for our kids right now before they get an opportunity to grab that microphone and speak for themselves. I salute him.”
The basketball star added: “This is his experience and what he’s dealing with. He’s coming out selling it from his point of view. It’s great for fathers especially to speak on them from their point of view and how they had to handle it and deal with it.”
Dwyane Wade’s daughter Zaya was 12 when she came out to him as a transgender.
Since then, he and Union have gone to great lengths to protect the now-16-year-old from anti-trans rhetoric, moving out of Florida and publicly speaking out against “hateful” political figures like Ron DeSantis.
Thanks to their love and support, Zaya has been thriving, making her runway debut at Paris Fashion Week and working with brands like Tiffany & Co. and Puma.
Meanwhile, Wayans is a little bit newer to the journey, admitting during a recent interview with The Breakfast Club that he’s still getting used to his son Kai’s transition.
The Scary Movie actor explained that his next comedy special will centre around the transition.
“Not his… their transition, but my transition as a parent, going from ignorance and denial to complete unconditional love and acceptance,” he clarified.
“I think there’s a lot of parents out there that need that message and I know I’m dealing with it. It was a very painful situation for me but, man, it’s one of the best hours I could ever imagine.”
Making it crystal clear that he’s doing everything in his power to support Kai on his journey, Wayans added: “I gotta respect their wishes and as a parent I just want my kids to be free – free in spirit, free in thought, free to be themselves.
“The more you know yourself, the more you live your truth, the happier your existence. So if they can’t get that in a household with their father and their mother, how the f*** do I send them out into the world with that kind of confidence?
“I’m just so proud of them for being them – but that don’t mean that I ain’t got jokes.”
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