Marlon Wayans recently appeared on The Breakfast Club, where he spoke candidly about supporting his transgender son.
The 51-year-old comedian said he first responded with a joke when his son came out to him.
“You transitioning into your brother. You look just like him…I can’t tell the difference between him and Shawn,” Wayans said he responded.
Wayans also made his comedy special, titled Skittles or Rainbow Child, to highlight Kai’s transformation.
“Skittles or Rainbow Child is about my daughter,” he said. “I have a daughter that transitioned into a son. My daughter Amai is now Kai, and so, I talk about the transition. Not his…their transition but my transition as a parent, going from ignorance and denial to complete unconditional love and acceptance.”
In his interview with The Breakfast Club, Wayans attempted to use the proper pronouns for his son despite slipping up a few times. The important thing, Wayans said, is to make sure that his son feels totally free in their skin.
“I want my kids to be free. I want them to be free in spirit, free in thought, free to be themselves. The more you know yourself, the more you can govern yourself, the more you live your truth, the happier your existence. So, if they can’t get that in the household with their father and their mother, how the f**k do I send them out into the world with that kind of confidence?”
Wayans also sent a message to world leaders, urging them to think about the young generation and to be open-minded about accepting change.
“I want you to think about these people and how to be inclusive of this next generation,” he said. “Because I see a lot of gray hair here, but these kids that we’re dealing with, they’re different. And we can’t have our old ways and expect to do new things. So please embrace the new.”
Social media users mostly responded with praise for Wayans after he expressed his love for his son.
That’s literally all you want as a parent!!! Whether they’re straight, gay, criss cross, sideways, upside down or whatever, if you live your kids you want them to be happy and to be free!!
— Lynda Vialet (@LyndaVialet) November 11, 2023
People loved seeing that he was doing his best to use the right pronouns.
I love that he was actually trying with the pronouns. You can hear him correct himself before he says it outloud. Good for him for respecting that
— BIG TIMA not the lil one💨 (@ThatYoungKid33) November 12, 2023
Wayans’ support of his trans son is drawing many comparisons to Dwyane Wade, who is also respected widely for embracing his child Zaya‘s transition.
Him and DWade have top tier moments like this I wish we saw more of in the black community. It’s hard out here
— Destiny 🏳️🌈 (@mii__destiny) November 12, 2023
Check out Marlon Wayans’ full interview on The Breakfast Club below!
