Dwyane Wade Responds to Ex Wife's Lawsuit

Earlier this month Dwyane Wade's ex-wife, Siovaughn Funches-Wade, filed a lawsuit to prevent Dwyane from allowing their youngest child to change their name and gender on their birth certificate before their 18th birthday [click here if you missed that]. 

In his legal response DWade accuses Siovaughn of not acting in the best interest of the child...

From The Blast

According to new legal documents, obtained by The Blast, the NBA star is claiming his ex-wife is not thinking about what’s in the best interest of their daughter — Zaya Wade — while arguing not to fight this petition.hes

We broke the story, Siohvaughn Funches filed documents in court accusing Wade of pressuring their daughter to make this monumental decision, partially based on money that could be made as a transgender female. The argument is interesting, considering Dwyane is one of the most famous basketball players in history, who most likely is fine in the cash department.

To be clear, Dwyane starts by explaining the original petition filed to change Zaya’s name and gender was done at HER request.

He says the petition “is not about Siohvaughn or Dwyane or their prior marriage, it is about what Zaya wants and what is in her best interest.” Adding, the petition “is about empowering Zaya to live her truth, allowing Zaya to take on the milestones of being a young adult with confidence and joy, and to ensure that those moments are not clouded by the self-doubt that comes from checking a box or signing a name that does not reflect her identity.”

In the filing, Dwyane Wade is asking for a court order affirming Zaya’s identity, allowing her to “live more comfortably and honesty in all aspects of her life-from simple introductions and food orders, to applying for a driver’s license and filling out college applications.”

The former NBA star says “granting the requested relief is an important step toward affirming Zaya’s gender and name change with the full faith and credit of an order by a California court” and “Zaya should not be forced to put her life on hold while she waits for Siohvaughn to acknowledge and accept her truth.”

Siohvaughn is asking the court to force Zaya and Dwyane to wait until she’s 18 years old to make such an important decision, a gender change, and to change the name on Zaya’s birth certificate.

Now, both sides will have to wait until December 12th, when a judge will decide if the case will proceed in California or be argued in Illinois.