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Gabrielle Union told the “The View” co-hosts that she has to protect her transgender stepchild Zaya Wade’s “freedom and humanity.”
Zaya, 17, who identifies as the female gender, has become an inspiration to others in the LGBTQ+ community.
Gabrielle, 52, gushed over Zaya on during an appearance on “The View” on Thursday, Feb. 27. She said that there are so many things that Zaya does that makes her and her husband, Dwyane Wade, “so proud.”
“At her school, her teachers write about what they feel about each student. And every time her teachers write about her, they’re like, ‘I’m actually crying as I’m writing this. You are such a pleasure in class. You add so much to the school community,’” she said. “It’s that that makes us proud.”
Gabrielle said Zaya will be going off to college soon to study astrobiology, which is the scientific study of evolution and the future of life in the universe.
Thinking about Gabrielle Union and Zaya Wade in Prada. Happy Pride! pic.twitter.com/YmootUqVrS
— Michael. (@yosoymichael) June 2, 2021
“Who she is is amazing but it’s because we love her so much and we protect her freedom and her humanity and her rights that she’s allowed to blossom,” the proud stepmom said. “When we get compliments on who she is and who she stands for and who she represents, it’s not just the LGBTQIA community. Elderly people come up to me [and say], ‘I wish my parents gave me the freedom to live my full truth and to reach my full potential and I’m so glad that she’s doing this at such a young age.’”
Gabrielle added, “She’s inspiring so many people to live their complete truth and we are more than proud.”
Gabrielle also spoke out for the fist time about husband Dwyane Wade’s kidney cancer diagnosis. In an episode of his podcast on Jan. 30, Dwyane announced that he had 40% of his right kidney removed after a tumor was found during a routine checkup.
On Feb. 26. Gabrielle appeared on “Today” and shared how Dwyane’s “traumatic” diagnosis affected their family.
“It was year nine of our marriage, and he’s talked about it,” Gabrielle said. “Year nine was very hard. When he mentioned year nine being hard, he didn’t reveal his cancer diagnosis and his own cancer journey.”
She added: “But you also don’t understand the journey and the toll it takes on your marriage, on your family, on your kids. He was a little more hesitant to take us on that journey of healing.”
“That level of vulnerability, to go through removal of a good chunk of his kidney and the healing that involved, he needed us to be OK with his vulnerability. But more than that, he needed to be OK with his vulnerability,” she said. “It was a challenge to give grace and receive it.”
