Dwyane Wade appeared on Showtime series Headliners, where he revealed his decision to leave Florida due to heightened anti-LGBTQ policies.
Dwyane Wade made the decision to leave Florida with his family for the protection of his daughter, Zaya. The former NBA player appeared on an episode of Showtime series Headliners where he spoke to host Rachel Nichols about Florida politicians who have enforced anti-LGBTQ policies. In July 2022, the “Don’t Say Gay” law took effect in Florida after being signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
"A lot of people don't know that,” Wade said about relocating from Miami Beach. “I have to make decisions for my family, not just personal, individual decisions.”
He continued, "I mean, obviously, the tax [situation] is great. Having Wade County is great. But my family would not be accepted or feel comfortable there. And so that's one of the reasons why I don't live there."
The 41-year-old also cited his father, Dwyane Wade Sr., as an example of mindful parenting.
"I tell my dad all the time, I'm just a mirror image of the way he loved us and the way that he accepted not only myself and my brothers but other kids in the community that didn't have father figures," Wade told Nichols.
"And so I don't know any difference. And so yes, I had to educate myself and yes, I had to get a better understanding. And yes, I had to lose some friends along the process, but I never wavered on loving my kids and trying to find space to get the chance to understand them.”
Wade, who is also a father to Zaire (21), Xavier (9) and Kaavia (4), attended the NAACP Image Awards in February, where he and his wife, actress Gabrielle Union, showed solidarity with the Black transgender community.
“Zaya, as your father, all I’ve wanted to do was get it right,” Wade said in the heartfelt speech. “I’ve sat back and watched how gracefully you have taken on the public scrutiny. And even though it’s not easy, I watched you walk out of the house every morning as yourself. I admire how you handle the ignorance in our world … that you face every day. To say that your village is proud of you is an understatement.”
