- Ex-Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade recently explained why he and his family left Florida in 2021.
- Wade and his family, including his 15-year-old trans daughter Zaya, did not feel "comfortable" there.
Former Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade opened up about his family's decision to leave Florida in 2021, saying it had to do with the Sunshine State's conservative political shift.
In a new interview with People Magazine, Wade said that he had good memories in Florida, but that he and his family, including his 15-year-old transgender daughter Zaya, would not be "accepted" in the state. Wade told People that after a series of anti-LGBTQ laws were passed in Florida, his family made the decision to relocate.
"That's another reason why I don't live in that state," Wade told People, in reference to anti-transgender laws which have recently been passed in Florida.
In the interview, Wade referenced the tax breaks in Florida, and the state's decision to rename Miami-Dade County to "Miami-Wade" County in July 2010, as things he appreciated about the state. Wade played for the Heat for 15 years, winning 3 NBA championships with the team.
"I mean, obviously, the tax [situation] is great. Having Wade County is great," Wade said. "But my family would not be accepted or feel comfortable there. And so that's one of the reasons why I don't live there."
In the last year, the Florida legislature has passed laws restricting gender-affirming care for transgender youth, a law preventing female trans students from playing women's sports, and an educational measure that bans discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in Kindergarten through 3rd grade.
The climate has become so unwelcoming that the state's biggest LGBTQ+ advocacy group issued a travel advisory in April for community members visiting the state.