Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade are no strangers to being celebrated for their mark on pop culture. Now that they’re featured as part of the 2020 Time 100, the couple isn’t being feted for their respective acting chops or skills on the court, but rather for their advocacy. They were honored for blazing a trail for other parents in raising their 13-year-old transgender daughter Zaya to be “free.”
In his Time 100 profile of Wade, John Legend wrote that Wade, a three-time NBA champion, is setting a powerful example of how to be a good ally to young people who are figuring out who they are.
“[Dwyane] and Gabrielle don’t love Zaya despite who she is. They love Zaya, and they celebrate who she is and they embrace her,” Legend wrote for Time. “He’s modeling how parents can champion their kids, and fight for them, and help them become the best adult that they can be. I think that’s really beautiful.”
The family made headlines in February when Zaya came out publicly as transgender for the first time. The teenager had previously been subjected to heavy online trolling and criticism prior to coming out, as she wasn’t afraid to be fluid with her fashion choices, including wearing a crop top and long nails on Thanksgiving weekend. Wade fiercely defended his child at the time, telling concerned parents and others that “my goal is that my kids feel that I see them, love them and support them.”
Union added that Zaya has the “freedom to be exactly who she is, who she was born to be, to be her most authentic self.” “She doesn’t ask permission to exist,” she said in a video accompanying the Time 100 announcement. That is wildly inspiring.”
During a Tuesday appearance on Good Morning America, the actress reflected that it was “weird” to get credit for doing something as natural as loving your kids as they are.
But in thinking back on their journey, both parents credited Zaya for how much she has enriched their lives by truly listening to her and following her lead. Noting that Zaya has pushed him to become a more educated and informed person, Wade said his daughter “helped us see life differently” and that he’s “thankful for her.”
“I think I’m finding my voice, continuing to let everyone know that I am not perfect,” he said. “I do not know everything, but I lead with my heart. I lead with love.”
Wade and Union were joined on the Time 100 list with a stream of other LGBTQ+ celebrities, including ACLU attorney Chase Strangio, Pose actor Billy Porter, Taiwanese civil rights leader Chi Chia-wei, filmmaker Tourmaline, mega-producer Greg Berlanti, soccer star Megan Rapinoe, activist Angela Davis, and singer Halsey. Also included were the three Black, queer women who cofounded the Black Lives Matter movement: Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi.
This week, however, wasn’t the family’s first appearance in the iconic magazine. After Zaya came out, Union and Wade wrote an op-ed for Time arguing that parents shouldn’t take a one-size-fits-all approach. Parents who project their fears onto their children are robbing their kids of their authentic selves.
“Identity isn’t a desire or a wish: It’s more a matter of our understanding and making the necessary adjustments to ensure someone is celebrated for being their authentic and true selves,” the couple wrote. “We love our child and would do anything to make sure she has the best possibilities to succeed in life, to have happiness and joy. We see that in Zaya. We see joy in her. And that makes us feel so amazing.”
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