Retired NBA star Dwyane Wade announced recently he is using feminine pronouns when referring to his 12-year-old son, Zion.
"I've watched my son from Day 1 become into who she now eventually has come into," said Wade, according to the New York Daily News. "Nothing changes (with) my love; nothing changes (with) my responsibilities. Only thing I got to do now is get smarter and educate myself more."
Wade, 37, retired earlier this year as a 13-time NBA All-Star. Zion was born during Wade’s marriage to his first wife, Siohvaughn Funches. Wade is now married to Gabrielle Union.
Wade discussed his son's LGBTQ transition during Showtime's "All the Smoke" podcast, according to ET Online.
“I had to look myself in the mirror when my son at the time was 3 years old and my wife started having conversations about us noticing that he wasn’t on the boy vibe that (Wade’s other son Zaire) was on,” recalled the three-time NBA champ. “And, I had to look myself in the mirror and say, 'What if your son comes home and tells you he’s gay? What are you going to do? How are you going to be?’ ”
Wade has three other children: Kaavia, 1, Xavier, 6, and Zaire, 17. He serves as guardian to his 18-year-old nephew, Dahveon.
Wade said he and Union "talk about making sure our kids understand the power in their voice," according to People.com.
“We want them to be whoever they feel that they can be in this world. That’s our goal. Understand you can be whoever and you can be whatever,” he said.
