Comedic actor Marlon Wayans reveals the lengths he went to try to prevent his transgender child from making the transition.
In an interview on Neal Brennan’s eponymous podcast, Wayans elaborated on his long, arduous journey to acceptance of his child’s transition.
Wayans admitted he initially vehemently opposed his son Kai’s transition. He half-jokingly admitted that he tried to hypnotize his child out of the decision.
“I tried to hypnotize that b—-,” he said as he burst out laughing. “And I protested against it and I don’t say that with pride. I look back on those actions and I’m ashamed. I was embarrassed the moment I was forced to look in the mirror. I was embarrassed.”
The youngest member of the Wayans comedic dynasty said he also employed other futile efforts to thwart his child’s progress such as administering “sanctions,” including withholding their allowance.
But “[Kai] was like, ‘So what? F— it; I’ll starve,’” Wayans recalled on the podcast. “Nothing was working. This is what they wanted to do. I always said I want my kids to be happy. In order to be happy, you’re not gonna please everybody.”
“It’s not on us to judge anybody, right? … I tell my child, listen, I’ma have my jokes … They know my heart and they trust that I’m gonna tell a great story,” he added.
Recently, Wayans defended rapper Boosie Badazz, who was engaged in a public war of words with his daughter Poison Ivi, who is gay.
“U can’t paint @BOOSIEOFFICIAL as a monster. That man is a father that provides,” Wayans told his seven million Instagram followers. “I believe him, his daughter and God will figure this out. It took me. A second. Give their family grace and time. This is growing pain. She know her daddy loves her. That’s all that matters …”
