Former NBA star Dwayne Wade has revealed that he’s moved his family out of Florida due to their LGBTQ+ policies.
The Miami Heat legend is a dad to a transgender daughter, Zaya, and says he had to make some choices for the benefit of his family.
He sat down with Rachel Nichols of Headliners where he explained the state’s laws and politicians impacting the LGNYQ+ community were the main reasons for him leaving.
He said, as per People: “A lot of people don’t know that.
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“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.”
Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, and lawmakers passed controversial laws that criminalised providing gender-affirming care to minors.
It was labelled the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill and negatively impacted families such as the Wade’s.
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The 41-year-old decided to move his family away from the state so that 15-year-old Zaya didn’t feel unwelcome in her home.
He explained how his parenting philosophies mirrored those of his dad’s, and although he had to educate himself to understand Zaya’s situation, he always supported her.
He said: “I tell my dad all the time, I'm just a mirror image of the way he loved us and the way that he accepted not only myself and my brothers but other kids in the community that didn't have father figures.
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"And so I don't know any difference. And so yes, I had to educate myself and yes, I had to get a better understanding.
“And yes, I had to lose some friends along the process, but I never wavered on loving my kids and trying to find space to get the chance to understand them.”
Despite being a legend in cities such as Miami, where the franchise retired his jersey number 3, he felt the need to move away from Florida.
Wade won three NBA championships with the Heat and was a 13-time All-Star.
Featured Image Credit: ZUMA Press Inc / Alamy. @dwaynewade/Instagram.Topics: NBA, US Sports, Basketball