Dwyane Wade has spoken out against trolls criticizing his son’s appearance.
Gabrielle Union recently shared a family photo on her Instagram account. In it, husband Wade holds their one-year-old daughter, Kaavia, and Wade’s 12-year-old son Zion is standing between them.
Comments started coming in criticizing the parents for allowing Zion to sport acrylic nails, but the former basketball player wasted no time jumping to Zion’s defence.
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“Why are they encouraging this at such a young age? It one thing to accept it but… damn,” one person wrote.
“So sad these boys turning into girls,” an Instagram user commented, while another said: “The nails is a lil extreme. Y’all let this go to far and he’s just a kid.”
He took to Twitter to share his thoughts about the “hate.”
“But here’s the thing — I’ve been chosen to lead my family not y’all. So we will continue to be us and support each other with pride, love & a smile!”
The tweet has since received more than 250,000 likes and almost 40,000 retweets.
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One Twitter user commended Wade and Union’s parenting: “To give your kids such a loving and free environment says so much. Some people don’t have that so it’s easier for them to judge because they don’t understand it. Keep doing what you doing.”
“You are a great father and role model! Thank you,” drag artist and comedian Marti Gould Cummings tweeted, while another person commented: “Thank you for loving your child unconditionally, no matter what anyone else may say or think.”
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The 37-year-old retweeted one comment in particular that reads: “Shout out D. Wade for setting the example of a Black father loving and accepting their children as they are. There’d be a lot less trauma in our community if more Black dads were like this.”
Wade has spoken before on the importance of inclusion. The family attended Miami Pride this year and shared their colourful day on Instagram. Wade posted a photo of Union, 47, and Zion on his stories, along with the text: “We support each other with Pride!”
Wade has made it a priority to raise his kids with more freedom than he was allowed as a child.
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“I’m from the inner city of Chicago and I wasn’t told that. I wasn’t told I could be anybody and do anything,” he said earlier this summer. “It’s my job to be that role model, to be that voice in my kids’ lives, to let them know that you can conquer the world and that you have the support of your father, you have the support of your family every step of the way.
“So go and be your amazing self, and we’re going to sit back and love you and support you no matter what.”
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