Scoop
On Feb. 11 Dwyane Wade and
Gabrielle Union spoke out in
detail for the first time about
their 12-year-old child Zaya’s
journey. “[We] are proud par-
ents of a child in the LGBTQ+
community,” Wade, 38, told
Ellen DeGeneres during an
appearance on her talk show.
“And we are proud allies as
well.” When Zaya—who was
originally named Zion—told
her parents she wanted to use
female pronouns and change
her name, the former NBA
star was overcome with emo-
tion and pride.
“[She] said, ‘I think
going forward I’m
ready to live my
truth,’ ” he recalled.
“I looked at her and
said, ‘You are a
leader. And this is
our opportunity to
allow you to be a voice.’ ” Step-
mom Union, 47, praised Zaya
as “compassionate” and “whip
‘WHAT’S THE
POINT OF BEING
ON THIS EARTH
IF YOU’RE GOING
TO TRY AND BE
SOMEONE
YOU’RE NOT’
—ZAYA IN A
TWITTER VIDEO
‘We Are So Proud’
smart” on social
media. “It’s ok to lis-
ten to, love & respect
your children exactly
as they are... we are
so proud of her,”
Union wrote, posting
a video of Zaya
discussing the
importance of being “true to
yourself.” Wade—who’s dad
to 15-month-old daughter
Kaavia with Union; Zaya
and Zaire, 18, with ex-wife
Siohvaughn Funches; and
Xavier, 6, with Aja Metoyer—
said he and Union are now
learning all the information
they can to give Zaya
“the best opportunity to
be her best self.”
—CHRISTINA DUGAN
Dwyane Wade & Gabrielle Union
Open Up About Daughter’s Transition
Since welcoming daughter Drew Hazel
in October, Olympic gymnast Shawn
Johnson East has learned motherhood
can be a rough-and-tumble sport too.
While her baby easily breastfed her
first week in the hospital, when they
got home, “it was a wrestling match
every time,” says the gold medalist
and first-time mom, 28. “She was bawl-
ing and screaming because she was hun-
gry, but she wouldn’t latch.” After
meetings with lactation consultants
ended poorly, Johnson East and husband
Andrew East, 28, chose to bottle-feed
baby Drew. “I used formula, and it was
just this baffling experience of a desper-
ate mom trying to take the best care of
her child and getting shamed for it,”
Johnson East says of an interaction with
a consultant who “basically said that I
had ruined my child’s life because I gave
her a bottle and formula.” Today Johnson
East—who is now the first
spokeswoman for formula
brand Enfamil—bottle-
feeds with both pumped
milk and formula and is
tuning out mom-shamers.
“You have to trust your
gut that as a mom you’re
doing the right
thing for your kid,”
she says.
—JEN JUNEAU
Shawn Johnson East on
Breastfeeding and Mom-Shaming
Happy Family
“It’s the greatest
job I’ve ever
been given in my
life,” Johnson
East (with her
husband and
baby Drew) says
of motherhood.
Union said she
and Wade are
“grateful for all
the support.” Zaya
(left) in a Feb. 11
video and with
Union in 2019
(right).
TOP RIGHT: RICH FURY/GETTY IMAGES; (JOHNSON) FROM LEFT: YVE ASSAD/ENFAMIL; PAUL ARCHULETA/GETTY IMAGES
