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Dwyane Wade & Gabrielle Union heckled by transphobes: “Why did you mutilate your son?”

Dwyane Wade at the 2023 Met Gala.
Dwyane Wade at the 2023 Met Gala. Photo: Screenshot/Variety

Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union faced vile transphobic jeers in New York City over the weekend.

The celebrity couple and staunch LGBTQ+ allies were at Madison Square Garden Sunday to see Wade’s former team the Miami Heat play the New York Knicks. But the pair were booed by sports fans gathered outside as they left the arena, according to The Daily Mail.

Video posted to YouTube captured the moment, with one hateful person wearing a red hoodie shouting, “Why did you mutilate your son?”

The disgusting comment was presumably a reference to Wade and Union’s unwavering support of the NBA champion’s daughter Zaya, who came out as trans in 2019. Wade and Union have spoken frequently of their support of Zaya in the media, detailing the hateful attacks and comments they’ve tried to shield her from on social media.

The couple has not spoken publicly about any gender-affirming care their 15-year-old has received, but anti-trans organizations and Republican politicians have been relentless in falsely characterizing such care as “experimental” and harmful, while framing any affirmation of trans identity, including social transition, by parents as abusive.

On Monday night, Wade fired back at anti-trans lawmakers at the annual Met Gala. At the glitzy, over-the-top fashion event, a reporter for Variety asked Wade, who recently cited Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) anti-trans agenda as part of the reason he and his family no longer live in that state, if he had a message for the Republican governor.

“I don’t know him,” Wade replied. “But I do know men lie, women lie, but numbers don’t. I do know that when our children feel accepted…from their families, from the world, it lowers the death rate. Suicide is high in the trans community. It’s high in youth. And so, I’m going to step on the side of acceptance. I’m just going to focus on acceptance. Let’s make sure our kids have an opportunity to live this life that we all get to live.”

In another clip posted to Vogue’s official YouTube channel, Wade can be seen embracing out WNBA star Brittney Griner at the event. He then moves to the center of the “red” carpet holding his phone up.

“I’m showing my daughter… this is what the Met Gala looks like, for one day she’ll be here,” he says.

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