Marlon Wayans opens up about parenting a trans child and his own ‘transition’ as a parent

Marlon Wayans is showing parents everywhere how it’s done. In a new interview during a recent appearance on The Breakfast Club, the 51-year-old comedian revealed that his oldest child is transgender. In the candid conversation that followed, Wayans described the “transition” that he’s undergone as a father from ignorance to unconditional love and acceptance for his son.

“I have a daughter that transitioned into a son,” Wayans said on the show. “My daughter Amai is now Kai.”

Opening up about what the experience of having a trans child was like for him, Wayans revealed that he plans to address it in more depth in an upcoming comedy special that he tentatively plans to call Rainbow Child. 

“My transition as a parent, going from ignorance and denial to complete unconditional love and acceptance,” he said as he described his idea for the special, adding that he wants to speak about his own experience in hopes it will help other families through similar situations. “I think there’s a lot of parents out there who need to have that message, and I know I’m dealing with it.”

Wayans went on to say that Kai is “brilliant” and “the most well-read, the smartest Wayans,” and while he admitted he isn’t always a perfect parent, “They know I love them.”

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“They see me trying, and I’m happy, but I have to respect their wishes,” Wayans added.

In addition to 23-year-old Kai, Wayans is also a dad to 21-year-old Shawn. He shares both kids with his ex, Angelica Zachary. He said that in light of the changes in their family, he finds it more important than ever for his 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,” he said. “I’m just so proud of them being them.”