Gabrielle Union is introducing the world to her 12-year-old daughter Zaya. On Tuesday, just hours after her husband Dwayne Wade opened up about Zaya coming out as transgender, Union took to Twitter with a heartwarming video officially introducing her daughter under her preferred name and pronouns, praising Zaya as her “compassionate, loving, whip-smart” daughter.
Meet Zaya. She’s compassionate, loving, whip smart and we are so proud of her. It’s Ok to listen to, love & respect your children exactly as they are. Love and light good people. pic.twitter.com/G2lLVdD2VT
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) February 11, 2020
“What’s the point of being on this earth if you’re going to try to be someone you’re not?” Zaya, who is seen driving around in a golf cart with Wade, says in the video. “It’s like you’re not even living as yourself, which is the dumbest concept to me. Be true and don’t really care what the stereotypical way of being you is.”
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Acknowledging that living your truth “can get tough,” Zaya encouraged others to “push through and you be the best you and especially more recently, it’s become more accepting.”
“Even through hard times, you gotta just push through,” she said. “It’s worth it. I think it’s very worth it when you reach that point of yourself. You can look in the mirror and say ‘hi’ to yourself.”Nice to meet you,’ instead of, ‘I don’t really know who I am.’”
The post immediately drew support from fans and celebrities alike, many praising Union and Wade’s support of their daughter and also praising Zaya for her bravery.
“Yes. Yes. Yes. Zaya — thank you for being unconditionally you!!” California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote. “You inspire so many across this country (and across this world) to live their lives out loud. Never stop speaking up and speaking out!”
“Thank you for showing the world what unconditional love and support looks like,” wrote someone else.
“And she is TWELVE!!! & she is out here talking about self-love & self-acceptance better & more maturely than 90+ %% of FULL GROWN adults!” added another.
“Zaya, You are amazing. KEEP SHINING FOREVER,” Adam Rippon commented.
Union’s post came just hours after Wade, in an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, opened up about the moment the 12-year-old came out as transgender.
“Me and my wife Gabrielle Union are proud parents of a child in the LGBTQ+ community,” Wade said. “And we are proud allies as well. We take our roles and our responsibility as parents very seriously.”
“So once Zaya, our 12-year-old, came home — first Zion, I don’t know if everyone knows, originally named Zion, born as a boy — came home and said, ‘Hey, I want to talk to you guys. I think going forward I’m ready to live my truth. I want to be referenced as she and her, I would love for you guys to call me Zaya,’” he continued. “Now it’s our job to one, go out and get information, to reach out to every relationship that we have.”
