In a recent candid interview on “The Breakfast Club”, Marlon Wayans , shared his heartfelt reaction to his son Kai's transition.
The 51-year-old comedian revealed: "I have a daughter that transitioned into a son. My daughter Amai is now Kai.“
In an upcoming stand-up special, Wayans plans to delve even deeper into the topic, not only exploring Kai's transition, but also laying bare his own evolution as a father.
“I talk about the transition. Not her, his… their transition, but my transition as a parent, going from ignorance and denial to complete unconditional love and acceptance,” Wayans said.
Acknowledging the initial difficulty he faced upon learning about Kai's transition, Wayans admitted it was a “painful” revelation.
However, he is unwavering in his commitment to growth and understanding. One key aspect of this growth is respecting Kai’s pronouns.
“They see me trying and that I’m happy. It just f**ks me up when I say ‘they,’ I’m like, there’s two of you? But I gotta respect their wishes,” Wayans said.
And despite the initial challenges, the “Respect” actor emphasised his overarching desire for his children’sfreedom.
He recently expressed that he wants his children to be unapologetically themselves, emphasising the importance of embracing their true identities.
Wayans took to Instagram and posted: “Squad… so proud of the off spring. Wayans for life!”
His fans weighed in with support.
@unicorn_jae:“I love this❣️ I appreciate you loving them for whoever they choose to be, unconditionally! You’re just full of awesome sauce. I wish more parents would take your lead!”
@lamour.artistry also wrote: “A blessing when children actually share a bond with their father. He is still around protecting his offspring how ever that may be… a lot of us never got that.”
Meanwhile, former US professional basketball player, Dwyane Wade has praised Wayans for the way he has supported Kai.
Wade, who's been a strong LGBTQ+ advocate, stood by his own daughter Zaya and spoke about unconditional love he has for her in a recent interview with Variety at the GQ Men of the Year party recently.
Wade told “Variety”: “I think unconditional love allows us to step in, listen, and learn about what we do not know, especially in the Black community.”
“I salute Marlon for speaking out and speaking up about this experience with his child, just like I’ve done. We’re just the voices speaking for our kids right now before they get a chance to grab that microphone and speak for themselves.”