Zaya and Dwyane Wade learned important life lessons by watching Pose together
Zaya Wade was touched by a Pose scene in which Damon is kicked out. (Instagram/FX)
Dwyane Wade spoke about how watching Pose with his daughter Zaya Wade taught them both an important lesson.
Wade and his 15-year-old daughter Zaya are among the many who’ve had their eyes opened by the acclaimed FX series, which returns for its third and final season in May.
Speaking to the I am Athlete podcast, Wade recalled watching a scene where the character Damon (Ryan Jamaal Swaine) is kicked out by his parents because of his sexuality.
For Zaya, who came out as trans last year, it was the first time she saw a queer person being disowned by their family.
“For the first time, she saw that she doesn’t have to live life like that,” Wade said.
“At that moment I was like, ‘Thank you for allowing me to be her father.'”
In the podcast, Wade reflected on how important it is to let children be themselves and to help them succeed in life.
“There are people out there that cannot get over themselves, get out of the way and let the child be who they are,” he said.
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He stressed that he was “going to love [his children] unconditionally”, no matter what.
“It’s my job as your father to facilitate those things and to put you in a position to succeed. It’s, not my job to change you,” Wade added.
“It’s my job to sit down and understand who you are and where you’re coming from.”
For Pose star Ryan Jamaal Swaine, who plays Damon, Dwyane and Zaya Wade’s experience showed the importance of representation.
The actor tweeted a clip of the podcast and wrote: “WHY WE TELL THE STORY: VISIBILITY MATTERS.”
WHY WE TELL THE STORY: VISIBILITY MATTERS. LOVE TO THE WADE FAMILY. SPECIAL LOVE AND SO MUCH RESPECT FOR MY @PoseOnFX FOR ALLOWING ME TO BEAR WITNESS TO Damon’s story. @DwyaneWade @itsgabrielleu pic.twitter.com/8Z9nsYURRm
— Ryan Jamaal Swain (@RyanJamaal) March 23, 2021
