NBA legend Dwayne Wade recently called out his ex-wife, Siohvaughn Funches-Wade, over her attempt to stop their daughter Zaya-Wade’s name and gender change.
According to TMZ, new court documents indicate that Dwayne called Siohvaughn’s attempts both “libelous” and “nonsensical,” and that Zaya should be allowed to change her name and gender legally. He claimed the transgender 15-year-old should be able to do so despite his ex-wife’s objection filed in early November.
Wade additionally argued that the name and gender change would be in the teen’s “best interest” via the new filing.
“A court order affirming her identity will allow Zaya to live more comfortably and honestly in all aspects of her life–from simple introductions and food orders to applying for a driver’s license and filling out college applications,” he said in the court docs. He added, “This petition is about allowing Zaya to take on the milestones of being a young adult with confidence and joy.”
Dwayne’s lawyers also inserted that Zaya had allegedly asked the sport’s veteran to file the petition in the first place.
“Siohvaughn’s allegations are libelous at their core, and are, at best, nonsensical. Dwyane filed this Petition because Zaya asked him to,” they wrote.
On November 3, Sis2Sis reported that Siohvaughn objected to the NBA Hall Of Famer’s petition due to “multiple factors.” In it, the concerned mom accused him of exploiting Zaya for money and asked a judge to postpone her sex change until she’s 18.
“I have concerns that (Dwyane) may be pressuring our child to move forward with the name and gender change to capitalize on the financial opportunities that he has received from companies,” she said in the filing. The filing was in response to an initial August petition in which Dwayne asked permission for the teen to legally change her name from Zion Malachi Airamis Wade to Zaya Malachi Airamis Wade.
Following his ex-wife’s objection, the Chicago native explained his stance in an Instagram post.
“While none of us are surprised at 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 [finds] ways of centering herself and HER needs, without regard to her children,” he wrote.
Zaya has been going by Zaya since 2020, after announcing that she began identifying as female instead of male.
