Gabrielle Union has a united front with her stepdaughter, Zaya.
When Zaya came out as transgender in 2020 , Gabrielle and Zaya’s father, NBA star, Dwyane Wade, have become allies to the LGBTQ community.
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Union got candid about this in a new interview, opening up about the importance of supporting their trans daughter and loving their kids “out loud” regardless of criticism.
Ever since Zaya came out as transgender in 2020, Gabrielle and Dwyane have been incredibly supportive.
“We want to make sure [our kids] feel strong and supported and free to be exactly who they are,” Union said in an interview with People in 2021.
The couple has one daughter together, Kaavia James, while Dwyane has three other children, Xavier Zechariah, Zaire, and Zaya from a previous relationship.
The couple has worked hard to educate themselves on being a parent to a trans child.
“I knew early on that I had to ask myself questions,” Dwyane explained to Good Morning America . “I’ve been a person in a locker room that has been a part of the conversation that has said the wrong phrases and the wrong words myself.”
“As I got older and I watched my daughter grow, I had to go and look at myself in the mirror and say, ‘Who are you? What are you going to do if your child comes home and says, “Dad, I’m not a boy … I’m a trans girl.” What are you going to do?’ That was my moment of real.”
Putting in the work has paid off, as the couple has made many amazing strides since then.
They threw Zaya a Medieval-themed 13th birthday celebration that coincided with the start of Pride Month.
They’ve also become vocal advocates for the LGBTQ community through their Wade Family Foundation.
When it comes to their haters, they say: bring it on.
“Our home will never be a safe space for bigots,” Union said.
“I look at problematic language as violence and I’m never going to expose anyone I love to violence, whether that be verbal, physical, emotional or spiritual,” she continued.
“Jerks exist in every area of life. And we function from a place of truth in our household. But if you come at us, oh, be very prepared.”
In a recent interview with Buzzfeed, Union shared why it’s so important for her and Dwyane to love their kids “out loud.”
“It’s important for us to live and love out loud. We didn’t exactly understand why [supporting Zaya’s trans identity] was a thing because it’s like, we love all our kids out loud,” she said.
This was in reference to some of the criticism she and Dwyane encountered after Zaya came out.
“But it is a thing and a lot of people do need an example,” she continued. “[People] do need that [kind of] representation.”
She continued on, saying that it’s a parent’s job to support their kids, no matter what.
“As our children show up, it is our job to believe them when they tell us who they are and not impose our dreams, hopes, fears, and desires on them,” she added.
Hate has no place in their world.
“We do not believe in any kind of shaming for existing. That is bizarre, cruel, [and] harmful,” she expressed. “So yeah, we’re gonna post our family, we’re going to live out loud, we’re going to love out loud.”
Gabrielle also addressed trans children who live in anti-trans places directly.
“There are people just like you that want you to win in life. And by win, I mean to survive and thrive. And we will find a way.”
For the full interview, read it here .
