Marlon Wayans Says Speaking Up for His Trans Child Turned Him Into a Voice He Never Asked to Be: “My Natural Instinct” [Video]

Marlon Wayans spoke his truth as a father, and has no regrets about supporting his trans child out loud.

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While appearing on the “We In Miami,” podcast Marlon Wayans reflected on how publicly supporting Kai, whom was born a girl but transitioned as a young adult, unexpectedly positioned him as a voice for parents of trans children. According to Wayans, that role was never intentional.

“I just did what I, my natural instinct as a father is to protect my child,” he said. “That’s my child. And I’m going to love my baby regardless of what anybody says.”

Wayans did not sugarcoat the reality of the journey. He emphasized that acceptance is not always immediate, but it is necessary as a parent.

“You can’t beat gay out of somebody. You can’t hypnotize somebody to not be transgender,” he said. “Man, you just gotta accept. Accept and love them.”

When asked about Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union publicly supporting their daughter Zaya Wade, Wayans made it clear that outside opinions hold little weight.

“Until you’re a parent of a trans child, yo, take a seat,” he said. “You don’t understand what we struggle with.”

He described parents like Wade and Union as “evolved,” explaining that growth means aligning with your child’s happiness and comfort. For Wayans, their visibility matters deeply in Black culture.

“Black family’s important,” he said. “Whatever you have to do to keep your beautiful Black family together, that’s what you do.”

Wayans also rejected the idea that loving your child threatens masculinity or values.

“I’m so comfortable in my masculinity,” he said. “Why can’t this just be?”