Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union are prone to online criticism due to their unique parenting techniques, especially after their daughter Zaya announced that she wants to be identified as a female last year.
But this time, Union is once again under fire for a completely different reason.
Several netizens made a fuzz after the actress posted a video clip on Instagram showing her smothering her then-baby daughter Kaavia James with kisses on the lips.
Some people mom-shamed Union because of those sweet kisses, saying kiss on the lips is not right.
Other netizens were quick to defend Union for showing her affection to her daughter. Some of them said that it is okay, and it does not hurt anyone. At the same time, another commenter noted that it is her baby, and she can kiss her any way she wants. There are also others who said that those “mommy shamers” should mind their own business and get a life.
Union also released her own statement regarding the issue, saying that every family knows what works for them and their children. She added that everyone’s goal is to have a healthy family, and everyone takes different journeys to achieve that goal. She reminded everyone to be comfortable with other people’s choices. She also said that she does not want any mommy shaming on her Instagram account.
Her husband also had strong words against people who kept on criticizing their parenting choices, especially after Zaya comes out in public.
It all started when Union posted a photo of their family on Thanksgiving last year, where people saw Zaya wearing a cropped shirt and pointy fake nails.
Several netizens posted nasty comments about the picture, and some even asked where the then-12-year-old’s biological mother was. The family noticed the comments, and in an interview with “Ellen” early this year, the former NBA star addressed the issue and announced that Zaya, who was named Zion since birth, is transgender and wants to be identified as a female.
Wade admitted that he grew up ignorant about the gender identity issue, and he can relate to the thoughts of those who were critical about their daughter’s choice. But he credited his wife for helping him learn more about it.
Since then, he decided to use his voice to advocate for the rights of the LGBTQ+ as a proud ally.
Union also introduced Zaya to the public through her Twitter account. The actress said that Zaya is a very loving, compassionate, and smart child, and they are very proud of her. She also added that it is okay to listen to your children and respect and love them exactly as they are.
Plenty of their followers were proud of the couple’s acceptance of Zaya’s choice. They even lauded Wade for setting a good example of being a loving and accepting Black father. According to the fans, the world will experience less trauma if more Black fathers were like him.
It only proves that the world should start respecting each people’s parenting choices.
