Black History Month - Black Trans Women - February 21th

Today, I want to highlight Zaya Wade, a Black transgender girl whose visibility has helped many young people feel less alone. Zaya Wade is the daughter of former NBA player Dwyane Wade and actor Gabrielle Union-Wade. In 2020, her parents publicly affirmed her gender identity, and in 2023 she received a legal name and gender marker change. Since then, she has appeared at events and in interviews discussing bullying, youth mental health, and acceptance, often focusing on what support from family can look like for transgender children. While she is still young, her importance comes from representation at an earlier stage of life than most public trans figures. Many conversations about transgender people historically centered adults, but Zaya’s public presence brought attention to trans youth, family support, and school environments. Her story has helped open broader discussions about how communities and parents can support transgender kids as they grow up.