Dwyane Wade is one of the most legendary basketball players of our generation and will forever go down as iconic with the Miami Heat. When it comes to being a parent, Wade has received both criticism and praise for the way he accepts his son, Zion. At a very young age, Zion has come out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community which has led to some enthusiastic support from Wade, his wife Gabriell Union, and the rest of his children. Many think this is a great parenting technique while others believe he is going too far. During an appearance on the "All The Smoke" podcast, Wade commented on why he parents the way he does.
"You want to talk about strength and courage...my 12-year-old has way more than I have," Wade said around 30:50 in the video below. "You can learn something from your kids. In our household, that's all we talk about. We talk about making sure our kids are seen by each of us. Me and my wife, we talk about making sure our kids understand the power in their voice. We want them to be whatever they feel they can be in this world. That’s our goal."
Wade also went on to say that he recognized certain behaviors in his son from a very young age and always made sure to be open and honest with both himself and his child. He wanted to figure out ways to be accepting and having an open dialogue was the best way for him to do that. Wade understands the role he has in his kid's life and it seems like they have an amazing relationship.
"I had to look myself in the mirror when my son at the time was three years old and me and my wife started having conversations about us noticing that he wasn't on the boy vibe that Zaire was on," Wade said. "And, I had to look myself in the mirror and say, 'What if your son come home and tell you he's gay? 'What are you going to do? How are you going to be? How are you going to act? It ain't about him. He knows who he is. It's about you. Who are you?' That's what my wife has been able to do. So, it's been cool."
With a family as large as Wade's, it's important to be nurturing and accepting. It appears as though that's exactly what he's doing and it certainly makes him a great father.
[Via]
