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Dwyane Wade’s trans daughter made her red carpet debut & the pictures are stunning

Zaya Wade discusses the importance of authenticity in a Twitter video posted by her mother Gabrielle Union.
Zaya Wade discusses the importance of authenticity in a Twitter video posted by her mother Gabrielle Union. Photo: Twitter video screen capture

This weekend, Zaya Wade, the 12-year-old transgender daughter of NBA player Dwyane Wade and actress Gabrielle Union, made her first red carpet appearance since her proud father announced that she is transitioning.

Her parents coordinated outfits with her, dressed in black and white suits with magenta and green highlights, two colors that Zaya wore on her suit too.

Related: Arena full of basketball fans bursts into applause when Zaya Wade is shown on the jumbotron

Zaya and her family were on the red carpet for the Better Brothers Los Angeles sixth annual Truth Awards, an awards ceremony that recognizes “the accomplishments of the black LGBTQ community and its allies” and awards LGBTQ youth scholarships.

The family wore custom suits from RichFresh, took questions on the red carpet, and later shared stunning pictures from the event on Instagram.

 

View this post on Instagram

Always Us. Always ❤🔥

A post shared by Gabrielle Union-Wade (@gabunion) on

On one Instagram post, Union wrote, “It was an EPIC night filled with so much love & a real sense of community. It was important for Zaya to be a part of such a beautiful night & reminding her of all the love & support she has.”

Zaya’s parents have supported her as she has come to understand her identity. They both attended Pride with Zaya in June 2019 and Zaya’s father stood up for her when Instagram users criticized her for wearing a crop-top and painted nails in early December 2019. That same month, he discussed the importance of supporting queer children on a podcast in December 2019.

Wade first discussed Zaya’s transition on the Ellen Degeneres Show, where he said, “We are proud parents of a child in the LGBTQ+ community, and we’re proud allies as well, and we take our role and responsibility as parents very seriously.”

Zaya’s mother and brother have been supportive as well. Union regularly shares social media posts praising her daughter and thanking others for their support.

In a February 12, 2020 Instagram post, Zaya’s brother Zaire wrote, “I’ve told you that I would lay my life down to make sure you are 10 toes down and happy on this earth. I don’t care what they think, Z. You are my best friend, and I love you, kid.”

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