Gabrielle Union reveals that her trans stepdaughter Zaya struggled with being ‘outed’ after her photos were ‘dissected’ before she came out
She helped her stepdaughter Zaya come out as transgender back in February.
And now Gabrielle Union has opened up about the struggles the thirteen-year-old face prior to coming out during an appearance on Taraji P. Henson’s Facebook Watch show Peace Of Mind.
The 48-year-old actress revealed that Zaya felt as if she had been ‘outed’ when social media users began to speculate about her gender prior to her coming out publicly.
Tough time: Gabrielle Union, 48, revealed Monday on Taraji P. Henson’s Facebook Watch show Peace Of Mind that her stepdaughter Zaya was ‘outed’ when people guessed about her gender identity before she came out
‘Zaya’s peace is nonnegotiable,’ Gabrielle said firmly.
‘As Zaya gathered more language, she was able to tell us about her identity. She was able to tell us about her sexuality. She was able to tell us “I’m trans.”‘
Union’s stepdaughter, whom she shares with her husband Dwyane Wade, admitted to her that she had come out multiple times, both by choice and against her wishes.
‘And she says, “I’ve come out a few times. I came out to my teacher in third grade, and then when you guys posted that picture of me in Chicago at my birthday party,”‘ Union recounted.
Standing up for her: ‘Zaya’s peace is nonnegotiable,’ Gabrielle said firmly about her stepdaughter, whom she shares with her husband Dwyane Wade
Long process: Union’s stepdaughter, whom she shares with her husband Dwyane Wade, admitted to her that she had come out multiple times, both by choice and against her wishes
‘And it’s just Zaya standing next to her cake,’ she continued, seemingly exasperated.
‘And that picture was dissected on certain Black blogs, and the comments were them guessing as to who Zaya was and why…
‘She said, “It felt like I was outed, and I was just standing next to my cake,”‘ Union recalled.
Too much: She was disturbed after people speculated about Zaya being trans from a photo of her standing next to her birthday cake
More to come: Union admitted she and Wade still had more to learn. ‘We only know what we know, and we have to be open to embrace that we don’t know s**t,’ she said; seen with Wade and Zaya in March
Although the Bring It On star has been a supportive public figure for Zaya and other transgender youths, she admitted that she’s still learning about gender identity and parenting.
‘We only know what we know, and we have to be open to embrace that we don’t know s**t,’ she said.
Elsewhere in the interview, she struck a proud note when she revealed that Zaya had begun cheerleading.
‘She better bring it!’ she joked, referencing her breakout role in the 2000 cheerleading comedy Bring It On, which also starred Kirsten Dunst.
In addition to Zaya, she shares her two-year-old daughter Kaavia with Wade, and she’s the stepmother to his children Xavier Zechariah, 7, and Zaire, 18.
Blended family: In addition to Zaya, she shares her two-year-old daughter Kaavia with Wade, and she’s the stepmother to his children Xavier Zechariah, 7, and Zaire, 18; seen in April 2019 with Wade’s nephew Dahveon Morris (2nd L)