Earlier this week, Dwyane Wade’s daughter, Zaya, had the honor of throwing out the first pitch for the Chicago Cubs.
What should have been a celebratory and wholesome moment quickly turned sour on social media.
Several fans mocked Zaya for the way she walked onto the field. For those unfamiliar, Zaya came out as transgender in 2020 and has since received unwavering support from her father and stepmother.
“She’s the strong one in this family. She’s a hero,” Dwyane Wade said in 2021, via People. “It’s our family’s job to make sure that we listen to her. We listen to the doctors. We ask questions and we formulate our own ideas of how Zaya should be and should be raised in this world and we don’t allow others to do that for us.”
Unfortunately, Zaya faced a barrage of hateful remarks on social media following her appearance. While some people tried to defend her, the negativity was overwhelming.
“Sports fans need to be dealt with man these replies are absolutely disgusting,” one social media user said. “Let her live.”
Another person commented, “Making this child famous for agenda purposes is nasty man.”
A third user wrote, “That’s a boy stop the foolishness.”
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“The hate you have for trans people will never not blow my mind like how does this affect your daily life,” another social media user added.
It’s unclear if Zaya has seen these vile comments, but it is truly disheartening to see a joyous occasion turn so ugly in an instant.
Here’s the video of Zaya’s first pitch:
Despite the negativity, Dwyane Wade and his family remain steadfast in their support for Zaya. It’s a shame that such moments, meant to be filled with pride and celebration, are marred by ignorance and hate.
