Ellen DeGeneres says parents who won’t support their trans kids ‘don’t love them unconditionally’
Ellen DeGeneres made her support for trans kids clear in an interview with Gabrielle Union (Screenshot: YouTube)
Ellen DeGeneres has criticised parents of trans kids who don’t support their child’s gender identity, suggesting that they don’t “love them unconditionally”.
The daytime talkshow host spoke to actor Gabrielle Union, who is raising her 12-year-old transgender stepdaughter Zaya with retired NBA player Dwyane Wade.
Ellen praised Gabrielle for standing by Zaya in the face of fierce criticism from those who cannot understand their family.
“I know this is silly to say because, you know, who doesn’t love their children unconditionally? But I guess a lot of people don’t,” Ellen said.
“But it’s so amazing how supportive you’ve both been.”
Gabrielle replied: “Yeah, I mean, to us, it’s a little odd to be, to get, you know, any kind of recognition for doing what, you know, you’re supposed to do, which is love and accept and embrace your kids.
“But unfortunately, there are so many people who just don’t. They just don’t. And so many people who really truly feel like their kids are disposable. If they’re not perfect images of them, they’re not interested. And it’s heartbreaking. So for us, we are just doing what’s natural to us and loving her.”
Ellen DeGeneres says Zaya Wade is a ‘lucky’ girl.
Ellen DeGeneres concluded that Zaya was “very, very lucky” to have the parents that she does.
She added: “It is unfortunate that a lot of people have children thinking they can mould them and make them who they want them to be and have a certain idea of what they are supposed to turn out like. But they all turn out different.”
Gabrielle appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show via video link, with Ellen also filming her half from home to abide by coronavirus restrictions.
In recent weeks the host has been dogged by rumours of her “notoriously mean” demeanour as members of her staff, past and present, share stories of her alleged bad behaviour.
Ellen has not directly responded to the rumours, but says she “loves and misses” her crew while she remains in lockdown.
