Dwyane Wade Speaks Out on Anti-Trans Laws

Amidst the continuing onslaught on anti-trans legislation, specifically regarding trans youth’s ability to compete in school athletics, retired NBA star Dwyane Wade has spoken out. Wade, who has a 15-year-old trans daughter says, “As sad as it is, as blessed as my daughter is to have parents who can support her, I’m still afraid every moment she leaves the house, and not just because of gun violence but because of the way that people perceive her in this world.”

Louisiana and Ohio are some of the newest states to pass laws preventing trans youth from participating, but they are far from the only ones. Over the past year Arizona, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and South Dakota have all passed bans and Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Montana, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia have had bans since the year before. 

“This is our life. We live this,” Wade says. “When you’re out there making rules, if you’re not experiencing this, come and live a day with my daughter. Come and see how it is to walk through this world as her.” Wade’s comments highlight the absurdity of lawmakers who are attempting to legislate trans people out of existence, many of whom have little to no interactions with actual trans people. 

Wade also had something to say about Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law: “Why are we not talking about it? Why are we not educating our kids? Why are we not educating ourselves instead of trying to close the book on it? You can’t close the book on what somebody wants and how they feel they are. We’re not gonna close the book on anyone being gay, bisexual, transgender—We can’t close the book on that. I just don’t understand.”

One of the most striking things Wade has said is that he feels like we’re losing our humanity. It is a struggle that queer people and allies are becoming all too familiar with, as legislation continues to be passed that makes it more difficult for LGBTQ people to just exist.