Wade’s ex-wife hits back after he accused of her dragging trans daughter Zaya’s name through mud

Dwyane Wade’s ex-wife has hit back after he accused her of dragging their trans daughter’s name through the mud – saying she wants to stop the sex change to protect the child from ‘scrutiny.’ 

Former NBA star Wade was accused of profiting off of Zaya, formerly named Zion, by the child’s mother, Siohvaughn Funches-Wade. Their daughter transitioned at the age of 12 – but Wade vehemently denied the allegations lodged by his ex-wife.

Now Siohvaughn has snapped back after she accused her former husband of pressuring Zaya into legally changing her name and sex for his own gain. 

The mother said that her children feel the ‘excruciating pain’ of their parents’ divorce and said her ex-husbands comments were ‘completely untrue and very hurtful.’

And she added that the entire situation is about their child, who ‘cannot protect and shield themselves’ as the world has a ‘front row seat to your failures.’ 

She only wants to shield her children from the ‘tragic events’ unfolding in the limelight, she told DailyMail.com.  

Funches-Wade said in a statement: ‘Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the recent derogatory statements made by Dwyane Wade, my ex-husband, about me as an African American woman, a mother and a believer in Jesus Christ.

Siohvaughn Funches-Wade, Zaya’s mother, has responded after her ex-husband accused her of dragging their names through the mud over a transgender row concerning their daughter

From left to right: Dwyane Wade, Zaya Wade, and Wade’s new partner, Gabrielle Union

‘First, these statements are completely untrue, and second they are very hurtful. Not only to myself, but more importantly to my children, who are as human, and subject to hurt and pain, as all other children, despite any lifestyle that they have been afforded. 

‘They too, like many other children, have experienced the excruciating pain and unique challenges that children suffer when their parents are divorced.

‘I will not add to that pain by now responding publicly with malicious, or hate-filled, comments to Dwyane, despite his decision to say these harmful untruths about me.

‘Dwyane is still the dad of my children and for my babies’ sake, I choose to refrain from speaking negatively about him. If I had anything at all publicly to say to him it would only be one thing, ‘I forgive him again.’ 

‘It would only be this one thing, because this matter isn’t about him, or me, it’s about a child who otherwise cannot protect and shield themselves from the negative consequences that encompass living your life in view of the world. 

‘Yes, the world will watch your triumphs, but they will also have a front row seat to your failures.

‘There are countless full-grown famous adults who have experienced this, and suffered severe consequences stemming from anxiety, depression and others are no longer with us because they took their own lives under this public pressure and scrutiny.’ 

The mother continued that she will do what God has ‘called her to do as a mother’ and also do what the laws of the land allow her to. 

She added: ‘I have both the mandate and privilege of protecting my children from these tragic events, as well as the myriad of other negative things that have a tendency to impact those living in the limelight, but time will fail me to mention them all.

Among Zaya’s new modeling jobs is a contract with Tiffany. She appeared in a recent campaign for the jewelry brand 

Zaya with older brother Zaire, stepmother Gabrielle Union, father Dwyane and half-sister, three-year-old Kaavia James 

Since coming out as transgender aged 12, Zaya has won modeling contracts with brands like Tiffany. She is shown attending Paris Fashion Week last month 

‘Therefore, I will do what I believe GOD has called me to do as a mother and that is love and protect my children and do what I believe is best for them. I’m by no means a perfect parent but I love my children with perfect unconditional love. 

‘I will also continue to do what the laws of this land allow me to do as a parent with the parental right and power under the constitution in courts of law and not the court of public opinion. I ask you all as a mother to please respect our privacy as a family with these serious and sensitive matters relating to our minor child.’

Zaya was born Zion but came out as trans in 2019 aged 12 and has since amassed modeling contracts and social media fame. Her father and stepmother Gabrielle Union have been vocal in their support of her and now consider themselves staunch LGBTQ advocates. 

In his statement, Wade lashed out at the notion he was pushing the decision and also took aim at his ex, calling her an ‘absentee parent’ who was selfishly putting herself at the center of their daughter’s transition. 

‘Zaya is not the same 3 year (sic) child anymore and she is screaming that to the world but most importantly to her mother! 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!’ 

Dwyane Wade (pictured in Ghana this week). The former NBA star angrily denied his ex-wife’s claims that he is profiting from his daughter Zaya’s transition, and said he and Union have been her ‘rock’

Zaya and Union also took part in a Dove campaign earlier this year  

Zaya was Zion until she came out aged 12. She is shown with mother Siohvaughn (left) as a young boy, and more recently at Paris Fashion Week 

‘My wife and our village has been her rock in helping her pick up the pieces after heartbreak after heartbreak,’ he said. 

He waged war on Siohvaughn, saying: ‘I will not sit on my hands and allow her to make a mockery of my dedication to my family. The high road has run out of real estate. 

‘My lawyer will be in contact and best of luck to the 14th lawyer as they try to unravel this book of lies that’s been sold to them.’ 

Wade won full custody of the child and her older brother Zaire in 2011 after a bitter and protracted divorce from their mother. 

He and Siohvaughn had been childhood sweethearts, marrying and starting their family before he was drafted into the NBA. 

He met his current wife Gabrielle Union in 2007, the same year he filed for divorce.

Siohvaughn is fighting to block the gender and name change, and wants Zaya to make the decision for herself once she is 18. 

‘I have concerns that (Dwyane) may be pressuring our child to move forward with the name and gender change in order to capitalize on the financial opportunities that he has received from companies,’ she previously said in her legal filing. 

It was a response to an August petition by Wade to allow Zaya to legally change her name from Zion Malachi Airamis Wade to Zaya Malachi Airamis Wade. 

In his August filing, the former athlete claimed he had legal right to make decisions on his daughter’s behalf, and that he was only informing his ex-wife ‘as a courtesy’. 

Wade obtained full custody of the boys when he divorced their mother in 2011. In a 2012 interview with MailOnline, the boys’ mother detailed her agony at losing them to her ex after a four year court battle.

Wade is in Africa with his wife Gabrielle Union. The trip is to celebrate her 50th birthday 

Zaya with Siohvaughn Funches-Wade, who fears her ex-husband is exploiting her for financial gain. She wants Zaya to wait until she is 18 before legally changing her gender from male to female

Siohvaughn and Wade were legally married between 2002 and 2010. They also share older son Zaire, 20, but Wade won full custody of the boys in 2011 after a lengthy court battle 

She believes he was only awarded custody because of his money and fame. 

‘I think influence had a lot to do with it. Celebrity had a lot to do with it. Money had a lot to do with it,’ she said at the time. 

Wade fought bitterly for custody of the kids. During the divorce, Funches’ own attorneys cited her struggles with mental health.  

Now, she says her ex-husband is ‘poised’ to profit from the transition.

She cited a conversation in April during which she claims Dwyane told her ‘that a lot of money had been already made and that additional money will be made in relation to our child’s name and gender issue.’ 

‘(Dwyane) told me that he intended to make our child very famous due to the name and gender issue and also informed me that there would be endorsements/contracts associated therewith,’ she claims. 

‘I am concerned that our child is being commercialized at a young age and also of the uncontrollable consequences of media exposure i.e. cyberbullying, statements and/or pictures taken out of context of our child, and the unwanted spotlight focused on our child.’ 

The law is murky when it comes to divorced parents agreeing on and making decisions on behalf of their transgender children. 

In her filing, Siohvaughn claims that Dwyane is legally required to consult her on ‘major decisions affecting care, welfare, activities, health, education and religious upbringing’. 

But Dwyane says he is entitled to make the decision on Zaya’s behalf, regardless of her mother’s input. 

A hearing has been set for December to determine whether Zaya can change her name and sex without her mother’s agreement. 

Siohvaughn and Wade were married between 2002 and 2010. They also share older son Zaire, 20.