Zaya Wade, Dwyane Wade’s daughter, began identifying as a trans woman at the age of 12. Wade and Gabrielle Union have supported Zaya through her change, but her mother thinks the former basketball star is trying to exploit their daughter.
Wade’s ex-wife, Siohvaughn Funches-Wade, recently filed paperwork asking a judge to postpone Zaya’s sex change until she’s 18.
“I have concerns that (Dwyane) may be pressuring our child to move forward with the name and gender change in order to capitalize on the financial opportunities that he has received from companies,” Funches-Wade said in the documents.
Funches-Wade said that during a conversation with Dwyane, he said “a lot of money had been already made, and that additional money will be made in relation to our children’s name and gender issue.”
“He told me that he intended to make our child very famous due to the name and gender use and also informed me that there would be endorsements/contracts associated therewith,” Funches-Wade said. “I am concerned that our child is being commercialized at a young age and also if the uncontrollable consequences of media exposure i.e. cyberbullying, statements and/or pictures taken out of context of our child, and the unwanted spotlight focused on our child.”
