Dwyane Wade wants his 15-year-old transgender daughter Zaya Wade to change her name and gender while his ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches-Wade is also kicking against that move with reasons that Zaya isn’t of age to decide on such sensitive matters.
Siohvaughn Funches-Wade wants Zaya to clock 18 years and decide for herself if indeed she wants to change her name and gender. And that has landed them in a court of law.
Siohvaughn Funches-Wade has a valid point. What’s the rush in changing a kid’s gender and name? The Daily Mail got the rundown;
Retired NBA star Dwyane Wade has gone back to court to fight his ex-wife’s petition to stop their transgender daughter from legally changing her name and gender.
Wade, 40, argued that he had the ‘full authority’ to ‘make decisions on behalf’ of Zaya, 15, when he was awarded custody of his two children in 2011 against ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches-Wade, RadarOnline reports.
Funches-Wade had filed an objection to the Los Angeles County Superior Court in November over Zaya’s name change, accusing Wade of exploiting their daughter for financial gain.
In his latest filing, Wade said the allegations were ‘unsubstantiated.’ He also claimed that his ex failed to prove why the name change wouldn’t be in Zaya’s best interest.
Wade argued that a name change would ultimately allow Zaya to have an easier time: ‘from simple introductions and food orders, to applying for a driver’s license and filling out college applications.’
‘I have concerns that (Dwyane) may be pressuring our child to move forward with the name and gender change in order to capitalize on the financial opportunities that he has received from companies,’ she said in her legal filing.
She also cited a conversation in April during which she claims Dwyane told her ‘that a lot of money had been already made and that additional money will be made in relation to our child’s name and gender issue.’
‘(Dwyane) told me that he intended to make our child very famous due to the name and gender issue and also informed me that there would be endorsements/contracts associated therewith,’ she claims.
The former couple are due to see each other during a court hearing next week.
Following Wade’s criticisms against her petition, Funches-Wade snapped back, telling DailyMaili.com her children feel the ‘excruciating pain’ of their parents’ divorce and said her ex-husbands comments were ‘completely untrue and very hurtful.’
She added the entire situation is about their child, who ‘cannot protect and shield themselves’ as the world has a ‘front row seat to your failures.’
She only wants to shield her children from the ‘tragic events’ unfolding in the limelight, including bullying.
Funches-Wade said in a statement: ‘Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the recent derogatory statements made by Dwyane Wade, my ex-husband, about me as an African American woman, a mother and a believer in Jesus Christ.
‘First, these statements are completely untrue, and second they are very hurtful. Not only to myself, but more importantly to my children, who are as human, and subject to hurt and pain, as all other children, despite any lifestyle that they have been afforded.
‘They too, like many other children, have experienced the excruciating pain and unique challenges that children suffer when their parents are divorced.
‘I will not add to that pain by now responding publicly with malicious, or hate-filled, comments to Dwyane, despite his decision to say these harmful untruths about me.
The two parents could’ve solved this issue without ending up in court. It’s simple, let the kid decide when she’s of legal age to do so. There is no need to rush.
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