Dominic Smithers
Dwayne Wade says his daughter Zaya 'hid' from him when she came out to him as transgender.
The former NBA star has been open about his family and his daughter's journey over recent years.
Speaking previously, Wade described Zaya as 'one of the greatest teachers of my life'.
Advert
But in an interview at the Creative Artists Agency Amplify event in Ojai, California, yesterday (27 June), the 41-year-old said she was worried about telling him when she finally came out as trans.
When asked about that 'landmark moment', Wade said: “So I came home and I just remember my child being scared to talk to me, like hiding in my wife’s arm in a chair.
"I think I’m this dad that’s like, ‘Hey, come and tell me anything! I’m a cool dad'.
Advert
“And it was fear in my child’s face to tell me and so I had to check myself,”
He went on: “I had to go look myself in the mirror and ask myself: ‘Why was my child scared? Scared to tell me something about herself?’”
And Wade said that he's still trying to learn to this day.
“In a lot of work as parents — and as people — what we do is we put our fears and everything on our kids. And I guess I was doing that,” he said.
Advert
"So I had to go look myself in the mirror and ask myself... What is it about my masculinity that has my child afraid?”
With regards to the fear, Wade discussed how the world reacted to his support for Zaya and her trans journey.
He said the 'world went crazy' when he posted a Thanksgiving photo where Zaya was wearing a crop top and acrylic nails.
Advert
At the time, Wade posted a statement, which read: “I’ve seen some post-thanksgiving hate on social about my family photo.
"Stupidity is apart of this world we live in — so I get it. But here’s the thing — I’ve been chosen to lead my family not y’all. So we will continue to be us and support each other with pride, love & a smile!"
Recalling that time now, he said: “The world went crazy.
“I became all kinds of things because I support my child and being who she is. I’ve become gay,” he said, scoffing, adding with a laugh that he did have pink nail polish on.
Advert
“I think the hardest part about it is shutting out the world and shutting out the people that really are not in [our] circle.
“But they have opinions and we are public-facing family."