Dwayne Wade may have made his name in Florida, but he is no longer living there. The athlete has said that his family would not feel welcome in the state. Wade, who is the father of a transgender daughter, has stated that he no longer lives in Florida due to what he perceives as restrictive policies. More specifically, he and his family left due to policies that violate the rights of LGBTQ residents. As a father, Wade says he must think of his family.
As many know, Florida has become a hotspot for the battleground between conservatives and liberals on the subject of LGBTQ rights. The state's governor, Ron DeSantis, and many state-level lawmakers have passed controversial legislation regarding the community. Perhaps most notably, they passed the so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill. In response to this, Wade says in no uncertain terms that his family wouldn't be comfortable there.
Wade's Family Values
In an interview with Rachel Nichols on her show Headliners, 41-year-old Wade, a former basketball player, confirmed that he is no longer a resident of Florida. "You know, obviously, the taxes [are] 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," Dwyane said in the interview. Clearly, family is far more important to the former basketball player than fame. He continued, telling Nichols, "I have to make decisions for my family, not just personal, individual decisions."
In 2020, Wade's daughter Zaya came out as transgender. Since then, she has legally changed her name and gender. Luckily, her father has been an outspoken advocate on her behalf. Even given the fact that Wade played 15 seasons of basketball in Miami, he felt it best to leave. The Wades aren't alone, either. Many families, both celebrity and otherwise, have made the move from the sunshine state. It would appear that many feel the new anti-LGBTQ policies violate their rights and the rights of their loved ones. Whether or not this will have any effect on the policies remains to be seen. What do you think of Wade's decision to leave for his daughter's sake? Let us know in the comments!
[Via]
