Hill Harper Blasted For Zaya Wade Comments
Hill Harper Apolgizes After Misgendering Zaya Wade On Her Birthday & Encouraging ‘Him’ To Read ‘Letters To A Young Brother’
Source: Jesse Grant / Getty
WTF is going on?! That’s the question that’s being asked after author/actor Hill Harper made a comment on a birthday post for Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade‘s daughter Zaya. Gabby proudly posted a pic of the teen on her Instagram marking the child’s 13th birthday.
“Happy Birthday baby!!! I can’t believe you are 13!! “@zayawade you are such an inspiration and motivation to get my butt up everyday and fight. When I’m weary, frustrated, full of rage, I see your face and your joy and you living your best life and I want that for all of us. “I love you sooooo much kid!!
The moment was marred however by a comment from Hill Harper who plugged his book and wrote;
“”Happy Birthday young man!! Read “Letters to a Young Brother!!!” Your mom wrote something in it!! You’ll love it! Have a great day!!”
Now, why…….
The post caused outrage from folks who thought Hill deliberately went out of his way to send malice to a child who’s already been nastily dragged through the mud by transphobic trash of adults.
According to Hill himself, however, that’s simply untrue. It was just honestly a messy (albeit musty) mistake. He also reiterated that he’s a Wade family friend and he had no ill intent.
“I would like to apologize for my post. I am responsible for what gets posted and I made a horrible error,” wrote the author on Twitter. “I misgendered my friend’s child and I am so sorry to Zaya and the entire Wade family. It was not my intention to misgender and misrepresent her in any way.”
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As a family friend, I feel so bad that I may have taken away from the celebration. Zaya’s courage and strength is something I celebrate. And there was absolutely no malicious intent to my post.
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There are many challenging things going on in the world right now and I certainly didn’t intend my birthday wish to be a negative distraction and certainly didn’t want it to take away from a celebratory birthday for Zaya.
Still, some folks are convinced that the “Him” and “Letters To A Young Brother” comments were intentional.
What do YOU think, was Hill Harper’s Zaya Wade misgendering a mistake???
Despite the hoopla, we hope Zaya has the safe and joyous celebration she deserves to mark her 13th year of life.
