Dwyanne Wade’s trans daughter Zaya Wade has opened up about undergoing gender-affirming care, saying that she has “never been happier” than when she is on hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Dwyane publicly announced that Zaya had come out as trans in 2020, during an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, where he described how his daughter had shared her identity with him and his wife, Gabrielle Union.
The 17-year-old is now coming into her own as a style icon, model, advocate and non-profit organisation co-founder for Translatable. But while she navigates teenagehood and all its trials and tribulations as a high-schooler, Zaya is also navigating anti-trans and anti-DEI law changes in the US in real time.
The Out100 Gala Groundbreaker award-winner told Seventeen Magazine in a new interview that the Trump administration has “really knocked me back. I couldn’t stand up for a little bit. But then I realized it’s time to roll up my sleeves and keep going”.
Despite all of this, the teenager is unapologetic about being a Black trans young woman – and rightly so.
Speaking about honouring herself as a Black model whilst rejecting Eurocentric beauty ideals, Zaya said that she wanted to walk the runway “very authentically”. She continued: “I wasn’t diminishing the cultural importance of braids. I wasn’t hiding my transition, my gender, or my skin.”
After being asked by the outlet about how she takes care of her skin, she reflected on being on hormone replacement therapy and “has to switch my understanding of puberty to a more feminine side of things, and the introduction of estrogen has also been a game-changer in my beauty regimen.
“I’ve never been happier than how I am on estrogen,” she continued. I just feel so perfect. And I’m refocusing on my skin because of this new world I entered. I’m really into skincare.”
If this story has affected you, call the Trans Lifeline Hotline to speak to a trans/nonbinary peer operator with full anonymity and confidentiality at (877) 565-8860. Support is available Monday-Friday 10 AM – 6 PM Pacific, 11 AM – 7 PM Mountain, 12 PM – 8 PM Central, 1 PM – 9 PM Eastern.
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