Dwyane Wade’s Ex-Wife Siohvaughn Rushes Back To Court In Fight Over 15-Year-Old Trans Daughter Zaya’s Name Change, Accuses NBA Star Of Violating Custody Deal
Jan. 7 2023, Published 1:57 p.m. ET
Dwyane Wade’s ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches has accused the ex-NBA star of violating their custody agreement by attempting to legally change the name and gender of their 15-year-old trans daughter Zaya, RadarOnline.com has learned.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, Funches’ lawyer was in court Friday to submit new evidence. A copy of Wade and Funches' 2011 divorce judgment was filed.
A provision of the agreement states that Wade shall discuss with and obtain input from Funches on “the major decisions affecting the care, welfare, activities, health, education, and religious upbringing of their two children.
Funches hopes this will convince the judge to deny Wade’s petition for Zaya.
Back in August, Wade’s filed the court case on behalf of his daughter Zaya. He asked for his child's name to be changed from Zion Malachi Airamis Wade to Zaya Malachi Airamis Wade.
Wade noted that he had full authority to make decisions for his daughter per a court order in his divorce from Funches. The filing read, “Pursuant to the terms of the Final Custody Judgment, (Wade) has full authority to make decisions on behalf of the petitioning minor, and he is not required to receive consent from Ms. Funches-Wade. As a courtesy, Ms. Funches-Wade has received notice of this petition.”
- Read The 2011 Divorce Agreement Dwyane Wade’s Ex-Wife Is Using In Court To Stop Their 15-Year-Old Trans Daughter Zaya From Legally Changing Name
- Dwyane Wade's Ex-Wife Doubles Down On 'Protecting' Trans Daughter Zaya From Legal Name Change
- Dwyane Wade Fires Back At Ex-Wife’s Attempt To Block Their 15-Year-Old Trans Daughter’s Gender Change, Says He Was Granted Sole Custody After Her 'Years-Long Campaign' Against Him
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Wade has been incredibly supportive of Zaya since she came out publicly in 2020. Weeks later, Funches showed up to court objecting to the petition.
She accused Wade of failing to communicate with her about the name change or transition petition. She argued he violated their custody agreement and asked for the name-change petition to be dismissed.
Further, she argued that Wade “may be pressuring our child to move forward with the name and gender change in order to capitalize on the financial opportunities that he has received from companies.”
Funches detailed a meeting with Wade in April 2022 where she claimed he told her that “a lot of money had been already made and that additional money will be made in relation to our child’s name and gender issue.”
Funches said her ex said he planned to make Zaya “very famous due to the name and gender issue.”
“Given [Wade’s] high-profile status as a professional athlete, our children’s lives have been highly publicized,” Funches said. “[Wade] has appeared on national television shows and in media reports regarding our child’s name and gender change. I am concerned that our child is being commercialized at a young age and also of the uncontrollable consequences of media exposure i.e. cyberbullying, statements and/or pictures taken out of context of our child, and unwanted spotlight focused on our child.”
Funches asked the court to not allow Zaya to change her name until she is 18.
Wade fired back calling Funches’ argument ‘nonsensical.”
A judge has yet to rule on the matter.