Dwyane Wade’s ex-wife filed a petition to prevent one of their children from legally changing their gender and name. Siohvaughn Funches-Wade is claiming the former Miami Heat star violated part of their parental custody order and he stands to benefit from the teenager’s decision.
Funches-Wade and the former NBA player were married from 2007 before officially divorcing in 2010. They share two children together that include 15-year-old Zaya, who identifies as a transgender girl. He has been very open about the support that he gives his daughter.
In August, Wade filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court to allow the 15-year-old to have her name changed from Zion Malachi Airamis Wade to Zaya Malachi Airamis Wade. According to legal documents, obtained by The Blast, Siohvaughn filed an objection to his petition for recognition of their daughter Zaya’s change of gender and issuance of a new birth certificate.
The issue is that she is only 15 years old, and must get a court order and permission from her parents to make the change.
Funches-Wade cited the child’s age and alleged her ex-husband “is positioned to profit from the minor child’s name and gender change with various companies through contacts and marketing opportunities including but not limited to deals with Disney.”
She added that she was concerned Wade “may be pressuring” their child over the potential “financial opportunities” and said she talked to him in April 2022 about the money that was made and could be made over it.
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A hearing on the case is set for December in Los Angeles.
Dwyane and Siohvaughn’s split was less than amicable as the future hall of fame player was awarded sole custody of their two children. Siohvaughn “embarked on an unstoppable and relentless pattern of conduct for over two years to alienate the children from their father, and lacks either the ability or the willingness to facilitate, let alone encourage, a close and continuing relationship between them,” Chicago Judge Renee G. Goldfard said in her ruling, according to ESPN Milwaukee.
Wade is currently married to actress Gabrielle Union.
