Dwyane Wade will always stand by his family.
The former Miami Heat player, 37, spoke out on Twitter in response to “some post-thanksgiving hate” over a pair of family photos that wife Gabrielle Union posted on Instagram earlier this week, in celebration of Thanksgiving.
In the images, the actress, 47, poses alongside husband Wade, their daughter Kaavia James and Wade’s second-youngest child Zion Malachi Airamis, who can be seen resting a hand on Wade’s shoulder, showing off some long nails as well as a slightly cropped top.
In response to objections by some social media users over the way Zion was dressed, Wade fired back online, addressing the “stupidity” on Twitter.
“I’ve seen some post-thanksgiving hate on social about my family photo. Stupidity is apart of this world we live in—so I get it. But here’s the thing—I’ve been chosen to lead my family not y’all. So we will continue to be us and support each other with pride, love & a smile!” the retired NBA star wrote.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories
Wade, who has also been a source of support to his wife in the wake of her recent and controversial departure from America’s Got Talent, went on to respond to several other social media users, who praised the couple for “embracing” their children.
“Idk if @DwyaneWade & @itsgabrielleu know how POWERFUL & MOVING it is that they’re embracing their son’s individuality. (Damnit I’m crying) In our community, being given autonomy over your body, beliefs, image, & statements as a child isn’t a thing. That child is free & happy,” one fan wrote.
“As a parent my only goal is that my kids feel that I see them, love them and support them,” Wade wrote in response, replying to another message about how he was “setting the example of a Black father loving and accepting their children as they are” with a 100 emoji.
In October, Union also shot down some negativity directed towards her family, over a snapshot originally shared by her husband Dwyane Wade that features the actress and their kids: Kaavia James and Zion.
“My girls,” Wade captioned the Instagram Story image of Union, their daughter (who throws a fierce look at the camera) and Zion.
“What y’all think about this?” the Twitter user asked, to which Union responded, “Looks like love to me 🤷🏾♀️ I truly hope that everyone gets the love, support and hugs they deserve.”
“Also Kaav ain’t with the dumb s—,” the actress joked of her baby’s facial expression. “Peace & Blessings good people.”
RELATED: Dwyane Wade Jokes About Gabrielle Union Taking Away His Instagram Privileges with Kaavia
The Bring It On star previously stepped out in April alongside Zion at the 11th annual Miami Beach Pride parade, where the duo rocked colorful attire while posing for various snapshots.
In photos shared on Wade’s Instagram Story, Zion flashed a huge smile alongside Union, 17-year-old big brother Zaire Blessing Dwyane, little sister Kaavia and numerous other loved ones as they celebrated at the event together.
The preteen was holding up a rainbow flag and heart in one snapshot with Zaire that Wade wrote “It’s a family thing” over, sporting a matching pin, a yellow tank top and sneakers and green shorts.
“Love you lil bro no matter what,” Zaire captioned the same brotherly love photograph on his own Instagram Story, writing on top of a similar one, “Gotcha back kid / Support gang!”
“Zion had his [own] cheering section today,” proud papa Wade — who was absent from the gathering, due to being in Toronto for a Miami Heat game against the Raptors — wrote alongside a group photograph. “Wish I was there to see you smile kid!”
In a June interview, Wade told Variety when asked about his family’s attendance at the parade, “I don’t really talk about it much because it’s Zion’s story to tell.”
“I think as a family, we should support each other. That’s our job,” the athlete added. “And my job as a father is to facilitate their lives and to support them and be behind them in whatever they want to do.”
“I’m very uneasy about accolades that come from supporting my kids or the negativity that comes from it,” Wade continued. “I’m doing what every parent has to do.”
Source: Read Full Article