Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade Support Daughter Zaya at Out100 Event as Trans Teen Is Honored as a Groundbreaker

Mar. 15, 2025

Gabrielle Union, Zaya Wade and Dwyane Wade attend the Out100 Celebration at NeueHouse Hollywood on December 11, 2024 in Hollywood, California.Photo:Amy Sussman/Getty

Amy Sussman/Getty

Dwyane WadeandGabrielle Unionare making sure they’re always inZaya Wade’s corner.

The former NBA pro, 42, stepped out at the Out100 2024 event — which honors the most impactful and influential LGBTQ+ influencers — alongside the 17-year-old and his wife.

Dwyane also wore a white sweater layered under a dark denim jacket with dark slacks, while Union wore a green and brown gingham dress with a white clutch to accessorize.

Zaya, who came out as transgender in 2020, has been a vocal advocate for queer rights for several years and was honored at the event as one of this year’sgroundbreakers. She was honored alongsideWickedstarCynthia Erivo, who was named the 2024 Out100 Icon of the Year, andSheryl Lee Ralph.

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Gabrielle Union, Zaya Wade, and Dwyane Wade.Gabrielle Union Wade/Instagram

Gabrielle Union Wade/Instagram

His work advocating for the transgender community led him to be presented with theElevate PrizeCatalyst Award in May. During his speech for the award, Dwyane noted that he was “just a parent doing what a good parent should do.”

“This is just part of the Wade family, all the things that we do …,” he said at the time. “We feel that in this space tomake the world a better place, you have to have acceptance.”

“She didn’t ask for this extra excitement in life,” Wade said of Zaya. “She just wanted to be a kid and do kid things and live her life and be selfish and worry about herself. That’s what you’re supposed to do at her age, worry about you. But she’s thinking about a larger community, and so I’m damn proud of her as a father.”

Dahveon Morris, Jolinda Wade, Zaya Wade, 2023 inductee Dwyane Wade, Kaavia James Wade, Gabrielle Union and Zaire Wade attend the 2023 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Induction.Mike Lawrie/Getty

Mike Lawrie/Getty

“You will hope as a parent that your kids feel comfortable to communicate with you when they’re confused and they’re looking for answers,” he continued. “Whatever it is they are experiencing, that they feel comfortable enough to express those things to you. You won’t want it to be someone else. At the end of the day, they’re your kids. But you have to create the environment for that.”

Dwyane also honored Zaya as shecelebrated her 17th birthdayin May on hisInstagram, sharing sweet photos with the teenager and some solo shots of Zaya. “Seventeen🎉@zayawade,” he simply captioned his post.

Union also shared photos of the pair posing together throughout the years, including a shot of the pair walking alongside each other, with the caption, “17 🖤@zayawade.”

source: people.com