Dwayne Wade’s ex-wife Siohvaughn Wade has filed a legal document with the court, in an attempt to block their son/daughter Zion/Zaya Wade from changing her gender legally – from male to female, Media Take Out has confirmed.
Zaya came out as transgender two years ago, when she was just 13 years old, with the full support of her father, NBA star Dwyane Wade and his wife Gabrielle Union. Since then, as Media Take Out has reported, Zaya has gained international notoriety. The 15 year old has walked the catwalk at Paris Fashion Week, and landed lucrative endorsement deals.
Last month Dwyane Wade went to court to have Zaya’s name changed from her birth name of “Zion” to “Zaya,” and to have her gender changed on her birth certificate from “male” to “female.”
But Zaya’s mother Siohvaughn Wade, who in legal documents still refers to Zaya as “her son,” filed an objection to his petition for recognition of their daughter Zaya’s change of gender and issuance of a new birth certificate.
In legal documents, obtained by Media Take Out, Siohvaughn claims that Dwyane is “attempting to circumvent the requirements of the Illinois final custody order judgment entered on March 14, 2011.”
According to Siohvaughn’s legal team, the final custody order mandates that Dwyane “shall discuss with and obtain input in the major decisions affecting care, welfare, activities, health, education and religious upbringing” before any major decisions – like changing Zaya’s gender – can be made.
Siohvaughn argues that Zaya is 15 and a half years old, and that she can hold off for two years, before making the life changing decision.
But according to Siohvaughn, Dwyane and his family (presumably she means Gabrielle Union) are pushing forward with the gender change for “financial reasons.”
Siohvaughns’ lawyers write, “There are multiple factors to be considered by the Court in determining the requests to change the minor child’s name and gender. The minor child is fifteen and one-half years old.” And then he dropped a BOMBSHELL. The legal document claims Dwyane “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.”
And she claims that Zaya may be “pressured” by the media into making the life changing decision. Siohvaughn writes, “This matter has been highly reported in the media and there will likely be media pressure on the minor child,”
Siohvaughn then spills some tea, Media Take Out learned. She added, “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.”
And she has alleged receipts. She wrote, “In April 2022, (Dwyane) invited me to one of his residences in Atlanta, Georgia. During this occasion, he informed me 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.”
Adding, “I inquired what companies had made deals, or was willing to make deals, with (Dwyane) regarding our child. Zion, who was present at the time, answered that various companies were interested and that Disney was a prospective company.”
Dwyane Wade has sole custody of Zaya, and as such, Siohvaughn has a pretty high burden before the court will block the petition for gender change.
Siohvaughn Wade is a Christian minister, who has a weekly podcast where she talks about how Christianity has helped her life.
