Gabrielle Union and Dwayne Wade presented at the GLAAD Media Awards this past Thursday night only days after its trans actors were snubbed in the nominations for this year’s Emmy Awards.
Wade took a moment to praise his 13-year-old daughter, Zaya, while presenting the award, for teaching him more about the LGBTQ+ community.
“We stand as allies with the LGBTQ+ community as proud parents of a transgender child,” Wade, 38, said.
“Our daughter Zaya is leading us in our journey, and we’re doing all we can to give every one of our kids the ability to live their truth.”
“I didn’t always understand how to do that – but I thank Zaya for teaching me, and GLAAD for elevating the images and messages that accelerate acceptance in every family,” the basketball player added.
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In February of this year, Union, 47, introduced the public to Zaya when the pre-teen came out as transgender.
“Meet Zaya. She’s compassionate, loving, whip smart and we are so proud of her,” the star wrote alongside a clip that showed Zaya riding around in a golf cart with her dad as the two had a heart-to-heart about acceptance.
“I know it can get tough, but I think you push through and be the best you. It’s become more accepting,” Zaya says in the video. “Even through hard times you gotta push through, it’s very worth it. When you can look in the mirror and say ‘hi’ to yourself.”
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And when it comes to unconditional love both he and Union have for their family, Wade is not shy about their children “seeing their full potential.”
“As I’m raising [Zaya], as I’m raising my kids, you just try to put them in the best situations to be able to succeed in life,” he said. “How I do that, and how me and my wife decide to do that, may be different than another family, but we want them to know there’s always unconditional love, that it will always be support.”
“We’ve got you, no matter what. And we see you,” he added. “I see you how you see you.”
Wade is also dad to sons Zaire, 18, and Xavier, 6, and he and Union share 21-month-old daughter Kaavia James.