During an appearance on the We In Miami podcast, Marlon Wayans opened up about his 25-year-old transgender son, Kai, and explained why it’s his “natural instinct” to protect him.
Wayans, 53, shares Kai with his ex-girlfriend, Angela Zackery. The Scary Movie star spoke about his son when he was asked if he sees himself as the “spokesperson” for fathers of trans children, Complex reported. And though Wayans said that was not the case, he emphasized that protecting his transgender son is his “natural instinct.”
“People can judge and say what they want but at the end of the day that’s my child,” the veteran actor and comedian said. “And I’m gonna love my baby regardless of what anybody says and they should be allowed to have their anonymity and enjoy their life exactly the way they want to enjoy it.”
“You can’t beat gay out of someone. You can’t hypnotize someone to not be transgender. You gotta accept and love them,” he added.
In November 2023, Wayans disclosed that Kai, who is his oldest child, had come out as transgender, Face2Face Africa reported at the time. Speaking on The Breakfast Club podcast, Wayans said his child’s transition had some degree of impact on himself.
At the time, the 53-year-old stated that he was still coming to terms with his daughter Amai transitioning into a son named Kai. He claimed that as a parent, he had to move from an initial ignorance and denial, to complete unconditional love and acceptance of his child’s decision.
Wayans explained that it was a painful reality and expressed the hope that speaking about it would help other parents embrace the uncomfortable truth about their children. He described it as one of the best hours he could ever imagine despite the difficulty, as reported by the New York Post.
Wayans said he noted that his children appreciate his efforts, highlighting the importance of respecting their wishes and fostering an environment where they can be free to be themselves.
Wayans said that the family had found a way to make a lighthearted joke out of the situation with his child approving jokes related to the matter.
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