Marlon Wayans got candid about how he had to change as a parent after one of his children came out as transgender.
The White Chicks actor, 51, revealed the news on The Breakfast Club, where he explained: "I have a daughter that transitioned into a son, my daughter Amai is now Kai."
Marlon has two children; Kai, 23, and Shawn, 21, whom he shares with ex Angela Zackery. He explained that he has had to go through a “transition as a parent”, from “ignorance and denial to complete unconditional love and acceptance”, as Kai came out to him.
Inspired by his own experience of coming to terms with the familial change, Marlon explained he is now planning to address the situation in an upcoming comedy special, which he suggested he might name Rainbow Child.
The comedian explained that while it’s been "a very painful situation for me, [but] it’s one of the best, funniest hours [of comedy] I could ever imagine.”
"I think there’s a lot of parents out there who need to have that message, and I know I’m dealing with it”, he added. He said that Kai can: "see me trying, and I’m happy, but I have to respect their wishes.”
Marlon admitted he hasn’t always been a perfect parent, but "They know I love them”.
The comedian had nothing but praise for his son Kai, whom he described as “brilliant” and "the most well-read, the smartest Wayans.”
He explained that all he wants is for his kids 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 added.
Through this transition, Marlon learned that: “If they can’t get that in the household with their father and their mother, how the [expletive] do I send them out into the world with that kind of confidence? He concluded that "I’m just so proud of them being them."
His newfound approach to parenting may be inspired by recent tragedy, as he opened up about losing more than 30 loved ones, including his father Howell, in the last three years. His latest comedy special, Good Grief, discusses this pain.
"If they can’t get that in the household with their father and their mother, how the [expletive] do I send them out into the world with that kind of confidence?” he said. "I’m just so proud of them being them."