KEY POINTS
- Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union's daughter Zaya made her runway debut at Miu Miu's Paris Fashion Week show
- Zaya came out as transgender three years ago
- A Los Angeles judge recently granted Wade's petition, on behalf Zaya, for a gender and name change request
Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union's daughter Zaya made her runway debut Tuesday when she rocked the catwalk for Miu Miu during Paris Fashion Week.
The couple took to Instagram to express their excitement over their 15-year-old daughter's latest achievement, posting a video of Zaya walking down the runway during the Miu Miu Womenswear Fall/Winter 2023-2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week.
The 41-year-old former NBA star and the 50-year-old actress sat front row at the show at the Palais d'Iéna in Paris, France, to show support for Zaya, who recently legally changed her name and gender, three years after coming out as transgender.
"She's arrived," Wade and Union captioned their joint post.
It included clips of the couple beaming at the camera as they watched their daughter strut down the runway, as well as clips of Wade and Union greeting Zaya with hugs after the successful show before they posed for a family picture.
The couple, who wed in 2014, sported matching all-black ensembles for the show. The "Bring It On" star donned a short-sleeved maxi dress paired with thong sandals, a black leather handbag, and shades. Wade, for his part, wore a black Prada leather jacket with a white button-down shirt underneath, trousers, and white sneakers.
Zaya's runway debut came weeks after a Los Angeles judge approved her official name and gender change request. She is now legally known as Zaya Malachi Airamis Wade, Us Weekly reported.
Before the request was approved, Zaya's birth mother Siohvaughn Funches, who was married to Wade from 2002 to 2010, filed an objection to her ex's petition to legally change their teenage daughter's name and gender in November 2022.
Funches, who also shares 21-year-old son Zaire with Wade, alleged that her ex-husband was attempting to exploit their child for money. She claimed she was "concerned that our child is being commercialized at a young age" and also worried about the "uncontrollable consequences of media exposure," according to court documents obtained by Entertainment Tonight.
She also contested that the custody agreement entitled her to be involved in the decision of legally changing the teen's gender and name, the outlet noted.
The NBA legend, who filed the name and gender change petition on behalf of Zaya in August 2022, clapped back at Funches and said that the petition was about "what Zaya wants and what is in her best interest," according to court documents.
"This petition is about empowering Zaya to live her truth," he added.
Wade said that although he would have preferred that his ex be supportive of their daughter's "important journey," Zaya "should not be forced to put her life on hold while she waits for Siohvaughn [Funches-Wade] to acknowledge and accept her truth."
The three-time NBA champion first revealed that his eldest daughter is transgender on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in February 2020, according to Us Weekly.
"First of all, me and my wife, Gabrielle Union, we are proud parents of a child in the LGBTQ+ community, and we're proud allies as well," Wade said at the time, recalling that Zaya opened up about her gender identity when she was only 12 years old.
"[She] said, 'Hey, so I want to talk to you guys. I think going forward, I'm ready to live my truth. And I want to be referenced as she and her. I would love for you guys to call me Zaya,'" he shared. "Now it's our job to one, go out and get information, to reach out to every relationship that we have."
Wade and Union have since been supportive of Zaya. In celebration of Pride 2022, the family held the occasion differently, helping other members and families of the LGBTQIA+ community in need through their foundations.
© Copyright IBTimes 2024. All rights reserved.