Former Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade has issued a public statement directed at his ex-wife, Siohvaughn Funches-Wade, after it was reported on Wednesday that Funches-Wade was fighting a legal petition that would allow their trans daughter Zaya to change her name and gender.
The couple, who began dating in high school, divorced following an acrimonious, three-year battle in 2010, and Wade was granted sole custody of their two children. Siohvaughn, on the other hand, has not been involved in her children’s life in over a decade but now claims that Wade and his current wife, actress Gabrielle Union, are motivated by financial gain.
In a statement through her lawyer, Siohvaughn alleged that that Wade is “positioned to profit from the minor child’s name and gender change with various companies,” bafflingly citing Disney as one of those companies.
“Since this must be the new way of parenting, I guess I have to address these allegations here, which is a damn shame,” Wade began his statement, which he shared to Instagram on Thursday.
“While I’m on a life-changing trip in our motherland, Africa, I’ve received a social media post about me forcing our 15-year-old child to be someone she’s not and do something against her will,” the 40-year-old continued. “These are serious and harmful allegations that have hurt our children.”
“While none of us are surprised by Siohvaughn’s attempt to fight Zaya’s identity and her unwavering attempt to drag my name through the mud, I’m very disappointed that she continuously find[s] ways of centering herself and HER needs, without regard to her children,” Wade explained. “This report came out while Zaya was in class. This is a kid who has maintained a 4.0 GPA in honors classes while navigating all this unsolicited and harmful attention and debates about her gender and sexuality from those who are committed to not listening to her, much less even knowing her!”
Wade went on, accusing his ex of making similar claims during their custody battle, and being more concerned with lawyers than their child.
“I’ve given her an opportunity to reach out to Zaya’s teachers, doctors, and therapists over the years and even meet her friends, so she could get an understanding of our child’s needs for her LIFE! She won’t do it!” he recalled. “She has not been to a school, recital, graduation, school dance, play date, practice, parent-teacher conference, etc., and Zaya has given her an opportunity to get to try to know her. She won’t do it!”
“As a woman who claims to be a ‘good Christian mother,’ I’ve yet to see her make any sacrifice or effort to leave her own home to participate in her children’s lives in over a decade,” Wade added. “Zaya is not the same three-year-ld child anymore and she’s screaming that to the world, but most importantly her mother! No one in our house would force Zaya, or any of our children, to do anything against their will, much less force an identity on them.”
Wade concluded by reminding Siohvaughn that she has chosen to be an absent parent. “The high road has run out of real estate,” he promised, signaling that she will be hearing from his lawyers.
Hopefully, this can all come to a speedy, peaceful resolution, if nothing else than for the sake of Zaya.
