Dwyane Wade Responds to Former Wife’s Objection of Name and Gender Change for Daughter Zaya

In the ongoing battle with his former wife, Siohvaughn Funches-Wade, to have their transgender daughter Zaya Wade legally change her name and gender, former Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade has filed papers responding to his ex-wife’s objections.

According to Today, earlier this week, the husband of Gabrielle Union had his legal team respond to Funches-Wade’s earlier accusation of Wade wanting the legal name change for Zaya for “financial gain.”

In response to that claim, in the paperwork submitted for Wade, his attorneys state, “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.”

The documents also revealed that Wade states that his daughter has identified as Zaya since she was 12 years old. Allowing the legal change to happen on her birth certificate will allow her to live a more comfortable and honest life.

The retired basketball player also mentioned that this decision is based on a request from their daughter. He wants to ensure that his former wife doesn’t have other motives related to whatever arrangements the two have regarding the custody and/or divorce agreement.

“Siohvaughn’s allegations are libelous at their core, and are, at best, nonsensical. 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.”

Earlier this month, Page Six reported that Funches-Wade objected to Wade’s petition to legally change the 15-year-old’s name to Zaya based on “multiple factors.”

The 41-year-old Funches-Wade claimed that Wade “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.”