Retired Miami Heat superstar Dwyane Wade said in a recent interview that he and his family moved out of Florida in order to ensure the safety of his 15-year-old daughter, Zaya Wade. His daughter came out as transgender in 2020.
Wade commented on his move during an interview with Rachel Nichols on an episode of Headliners. Many believe that he was indirectly addressing a bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year which prohibits educators from instructing on sexual orientation or gender identity from kindergarten through the third grade. Opponents of the bill have called it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, arguing that it promotes hatred toward marginalized groups within the state.
In addition to taxes and other reasons, Wade said that policies enacted and enforced by state politician against transgender people were a factor in his decision to relocate. Wade and his family now reside in California.
“That’s another reason why I don’t live in that state,” Wade told Nichols. “A lot of people don’t know that. I have to make decisions for my family, not just personal, individual decisions.”
Wade, a longtime star player for the Miami Heat, went on to say that adjusting to his daughter’s transition required effort on his and wife Gabrielle Union’s part to fully understand and support her. Wade’s ex-wife, Siohvaughn Funches-Wade, previously tried to prevent Zaya from receiving an updated birth certificate, but Wade maintained that it was best for his daughter.
“And so I don’t know any difference. And so yes, I had to educate myself and yes, I had to get a better understanding. And yes, I had to lose some friends along the process, but I never wavered on loving my kids and trying to find space to get the chance to understand them,” Wade said.
