Marlon Wayans Says After Learning His Son Is Trans, He Went From ‘Defiance To Acceptance’: ‘Only Thing That Matters Is That My Child Is Happy’

Marlon Wayans is opening about his reaction to learning that his oldest child, Kai, is transgender . Speaking to People , Wayans said he went “from defiance to acceptance.”

“It took me all of a week, and in that week I grew the most that I ever did in my life,” Wayans told People. “You understand the purpose of kids and the beauty of unconditional love. At the end of the day, in my heart, only thing that matters to me is that my child is happy.”

As Blavity reported, Wayans first opened up about Kai’s transition when he appeared on The Breakfast Club in November 2023.

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

The 51-year-old actor said he is now using his platform “to gift not just laughter but some lessons.” Wayans also confirmed that he has received permission from his children to crack some jokes about their life on stage.

“I have a contract with my kids,” he said in an exclusive interview with People. “‘Whatever you do in life, just know that there’s a possibility I’m going to find some humor and talk about it.'”

Wayans will premier his new Amazon Prime stand-up special, Good Grief , on June 4.

“I don’t know why it took me so long to do stand-up,” he said. “Now I can’t stop. That’s my therapy. Life happens, and I go, ‘What’s funny about it?’ I’m literally trying to rescue myself.”

Through comedy, Wayans said he can find  the “light in the darkness.” The Hollywood star shares Kai and his 22-year-old son, Shawn, with his ex Angela Zackery, per Page Six . Wayans also has his 1-year-old daughter Axl, who he shares with his ex Brittany Moreland.