Dwyane Wade Fearful For Trans Daughter’s Safety

Dwyane Wade says he’s scared to death for his transgender daughter’s safety.

The Miami Heat legend spoke about his concerns at the TIME 100 Summit in NYC this week. When  asked — as the father of 15-year-old Zaya — about the current struggles for trans youth in this country he said :

“As blessed as it is for my daughter to have parents who can support her, I’m still afraid every moment she leaves our house. And not just because of gun violence, but because of the way people perceive her in this world,” he said.

Watch: @DwyaneWade speaks out against anti-trans laws, as he opens up about his daughter at the #TIME100 Summit https://t.co/q8SUg1ayK6 pic.twitter.com/SerwBQkOlr

— TIME (@TIME) June 7, 2022

Zaya came out publicly, with Wade beside her, as transgender in February 2020. The retired NBA player also criticized lawmakers for the trans sports ban currently under consideration in nearly 20 states.

Related: Dwyane Wade Use’s She Pronoun When Referring To Son’s Evolution 

“To me, it’s a joke. This is our life. We live this. When you’re out there making rules, if you’re not experiencing this,” he said to CNN host Poppy Harlow. “Come and live a day with my daughter. Come and see how it is to walk through this world as her.”

Wade, alongside his wife Gabrielle Union, has been open about sharing his family’s journey with Zaya.

“I went years without telling my chef that I don’t like cilantro on my burger—as an adult, it took me years to have the confidence to say that,” he said. “My daughter, at eight years old, had the confidence to say ‘This is who I am. This is who I want to be.”