Retired NBA star Dwyane Wade has revealed a moment that was pivotal in his parenthood journey. During a sit-down with Chris Paul, at a Creative Artists Agency Amplify event in Ojai, California, the father of four talked about taking a step back to reflect on his parenting after his daughter Zaya Wade came out to him as trans.

Wade recalled a school assignment that Zaya wrote before transitioning. In it the child alluded to being gay. Because of that assignment Wade says he thought he was prepared for Zaya’s coming out. However, Wade says he encountered something different when the time eventually came.

“So I came home and I just remember my child being scared to talk to me, like hiding in my wife’s arm in a chair,” he explained.

Wade’s wife, Gabrielle Union, was also present during the momentous occasion in Zaya’s life. Wade says he was shocked by Zaya’s fear because he thought of himself in a certain way.

“I think I’m this dad that’s like, ‘Hey, come and tell me anything! I’m a cool dad,'” Wade said.

That moment, he says, encouraged him to check himself.

“I had to go look myself in the mirror and ask myself: ‘Why was my child scared? Scared to tell me something about herself?'” Wade shared.

Dywane Wade and partner Gabrielle Union have been strong advocates for LGBTQIA+ rights. They have talked about learning from their daughter Zaya now 16, who came out as trans at age 12. They have also been receptive to expert opinions, and have gone on to lend their weight to LGBTQIA+ causes. 

“In a lot of work as parents — and as people — what we do is we put our fears and everything on our kids. And I guess I was doing that,” Wade shared. “So I had to go look myself in the mirror and ask myself… What is it about my masculinity that has my child afraid?”

On Being A Strong Voice of Allyship

Wade and Union have been inundated with backlash since publicly announcing their support for their daughter’s journey as well as their commitment to furthering LGBTQIA+ causes. It is a backlash Wade attributes to a general miseducation around trans people on the part of the general public.

“I became all kinds of things because I support my child and being who she is. I’ve become ‘gay,'” he leveled. “I think the hardest part about it is shutting out the world and shutting out the people that really are not in (our) circle, But they have opinions and we are public-facing family.”

In February, Wade and partner Union were awarded the President’s Award at the 54th annual NAACP Image Awards for their work in philanthropy and unwavering support for the queer community.

Union and Wade both gave impassioned speeches while receiving the award. During his portion of the speech, he directed his words at his daughter Zaya.

“As your father, all I’ve wanted to do was get it right. I’ve sat back and watch how gracefully you’ve taken on a public public scrutiny. And even though it’s not easy, I watched you walk out of that house every morning,” Wade said. “As yourself. I admire how you’ve handled the ignorance in our world. I admire that you face every day. To say that your village is proud of you is an understatement.”