Dwyane Wade Explains Why He Sold His Florida Home: “My Family Would Not Be Accepted”
Oppressive anti-LGBTQ policies in Florida led by the state's Governor Ron DeSantis have resulted in lawsuits, protests, and more. Former Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade is speaking out about how the state's conservative policies influenced his decision to move his family out of the state in 2021.
Wade played for the Miami Heat for 15 years leading the team to three championships. At one point, Miami-Dade County was even nicknamed "Miami-Wade," but the star and his family ultimately left citing concerns for his transgender daughter, Zaya.
"That's another reason why I don't live in that state," Wade told PEOPLE, of 15-year-old daughter Zaya, who came out as transgender in 2020. "A lot of people don't know that. I have to make decisions for my family, not just personal, individual decisions."
"I mean, obviously, the tax [situation] is 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."
Wade, who is married to actress Gabrielle Union, has since relocated to Los Angeles.
Earlier this year at the NAACP Image Awards, Wade and Union accepted the President's Award and made an impassioned plea for more acceptance of the LGBTQ community.
“As your father, all I’ve wanted to do was get it right,” Wade said, speaking to Zaya. “I’ve sat back and watched how gracefully you’ve taken on public scrutiny. And even though it’s not easy, I watched you walk out of that house every morning. As yourself. I admire how you’ve handled the ignorance in our world. I admire that you face every day. To say that your village is proud of you is an understatement.”
“As your father, my job isn’t to create a version of myself or direct your future,” he added. “My role is to be a facilitator to your hopes, your wishes and your dreams. Zaya, you’ve made me a better human just simply by being who you were born to be — a baby girl, Zaya Wade. So baby, thank you for showing the world what courage looks like. I’m proud that I was chosen to stand in place as your father and thank you so much NAACP for this incredible honor.”
When she took the microphone, Union saluted “an organization that has led us through over a century of relentless challenge, pain, triumph, and change. And now stands with us again, at the foot of a very new era of activism, a new era that demands our collective answer to one simple question.”
That question: “Will we fight for some, or will we fight for all of our people?”
