Dwyane Wade denied his ex-wife’s claims that he is profiting off his transgender daughter’s transition.
Earlier this month, Siohvaughn Funches-Wade, Wade’s ex-wife, objected to Wade’s petition, which asked the Los Angeles County Superior Court to change the name of their 15-year-old daughter, Zaya. In the docs, Siohvaughn alleged that the former baller was “positioned to profit” from Zaya’s transition and may have been “pressuring” the 15-year-old for extra cash.
In response, Wade took to Instagram to reject the claims, saying, “No one in our house would ever force Zaya or any of our children to do anything against their will, much less force an identity on them.”
“This isn’t a game for my family and definitely not for Zaya. This is her life,” he continued.
But now, the former baller has responded in new court docs, calling Funches-Wade’s claims “libelous at their core.”
“This Petition is not about Siohvaughn or Dwyane or their prior marriage. It is about what Zaya wants and what is in her best interest. This Petition is about empowering Zaya to live her truth,” Wade’s legal team said, adding that Wade believes that his daughter should focus more on feeling confident and joyful instead of “being clouded by the self-doubt that comes from checking a box or signing a name that does not reflect her identity.”
Funches-Wade also accused Wade of breaking their custody agreement in court documents by failing to inform her about the name change, which Wade claimed to be an excuse to “resume her campaign of personal attacks” against him.
“Siovaughn’s allegations are libelous at their core and are, at best, nonsensical,” the documents said. “Dwyane filed this Petition because Zaya asked him to. It is unclear if Siohvaughn’s goal is to relitigate her divorce and custody dispute with Dwyane or to resume her campaign of personal attacks against Dwyane, but it is clear that her objections have little, if anything, to do with Zaya’s best interest.”
According to Wade, his custody agreement with Funches-Wade granted him “sole care, custody, and control of Zaya,” meaning he should have the final decisions regarding their daughter.
He explained, “While it certainly would have been preferable for Zaya’s mother to be supportive of this important part of Zaya’s journey, Zaya should not be forced to put her life on hold while she waits for Siohvaughn to acknowledge and accept her truth.”
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