Dr. Phil had quite the guest in Siohvaughn Funches-Wade on his show yesterday. The former Mrs. Wade sought the most public forum to tell the world that she’s not crazy, to accuse her ex Dwyane Wade of child abuse and to talk about how his celebrity status was the most significant factor in her losing custody of their two boys. This latest interview with Wade’s ex surely is not winning her any brownies points with the Miami Heat star, and she certainly didn’t impress the family court judge who eventually awarded him custody of their kids.
There have been a rash of high profile custody battles lately. The battle for custody between R&B singer Usher Raymond and his ex-wife Tameka ended with him gaining primary custody of their two boys. Most recently, Deion Sanders was awarded full custody of his two sons, ages 13 and 11, with ex-wife Pilar gaining only partial custody of their 9-year old daughter. In both cases, each couple went through a lengthy and contentious battle with the fathers emerging victorious. (If one can call a fight for taking one’s kids away from a parent a victory.) Do these celebrity custody battles ending with the father obtaining primary, or in some cases full, custody of one’s kids, signal a shift in men being favored in court over women in child custody cases?
Not so fast.
Though father’s rights is becoming a modern movement in the family court arena, overwhelmingly women are still being awarded primary, full or sole custody of their kids in divorce proceedings with custody hearings. According to the U.S. Census, as of 2009 only 1 in 6 child custody cases ended with the father being granted primary custody.
Google ‘father’s rights’ and a variety of results will surface; instructing men on how to fight false abuse allegations, how to petition for equal time with their children and how to minimize child support payments. While that last phrase sounds a bit sketchy, doesn’t it stand to reason that if there is no questionable issue with a father remaining in his child’s life, then shouldn’t he be entitled to the same benefits that a woman would be under the law? Also, when the family court playing field is leveled by access to income, as is the case with Dwyane Wade, Usher and Deion Sanders, does the mother lose out because of lack of income? Or does the abundance of income give the father the means to prove his fitness as a primary caregiver?
Such are the questions that Siohvaughn Funches-Wade wanted answered on the Dr. Phil show. She spoke candidly about her divorce from Wade and her desire to raise their kids. On her ex-husband’s celebrity status possibly swaying the court’s decision on custody, she said: “Well a lot of it had to do with Mr. Wade’s celebrity and a lot of it had to do with his money. But I’ve seen the court system in a way that I’ve never seen it before. I went into that place hoping to get help for my children and I, but I found judges in the courtroom quoting statistics for Mr. Wade. They would speak about him as if they were introducing the starting lineup for a basketball game.”
Also, she touched on her portrayal as ‘crazy’ in the media during the custody battle, saying: “Well, my ex-husband had a publicist. And as far as the records reveal, it (the retainer fee) may have been approximately $20,000 per month. When you’re able to pay someone that amount of money a month to plant your stories…”
It doesn’t sound like she and D-Wade have had much contact regarding coming together for the benefit of their kids. While she may have thought her interview with the psychologist might have been her best hope of getting Wade’s attention, it comes off as another desperate attempt to smear his name in hopes to build a case for the return of her sons. Despite what she says, unfounded allegations of abuse and neglect against her ex are about as helpful to the health of her kids as his publicist’s attempts to paint her as mentally unstable.
With all the recent high profile custody battles going the way of the fathers, what’s your take? Should father’s rights be more of an issue in the court? Or in cases where appropriate, should the courts attempt to equalize the time and money invested by both parents into their child/children?
what are your thoughts?
I'm so disgusted for her. Dwayne wade is a dirty dog who is going to get everything he deserves! Dirty men are quick to call a woman "crazy" when the woman stops putting up with their shit and fights back. I feel bad for his ex-wife and have from day 1 of hearing about his shady ways. Gabby is going to get hers also!
That bitch is nuts my husbamd baby momma is just as fuckin crazy thats why we are in a coustody battle now
I don't see why they couldn't share custody. When the NBA season is on and DWade is playing all over the country, who is actually taking care of his children???? Obviously he isn't.
The women on "Reel Talk" is such a poor interviewer. She is clearly on Siovaugh's side instead of being impartial. What kind of bullshit is this. What kind of 2 bit interview is this on a web cam anyway? Factually, this woman funches has been through 12 lawyers! 12 lawyers! that leads me to see why people says that she is unstable along side with the FACT that he was given custody. They usually give custody to the women almost automatically unless this woman is CLEARLY OFF THE HOOK. The usual scheme is for the man to get bamboozoled for child support along with custody to the woman. This is not the case so she must have something wrong with her in a major way.
One more thing, I think the legal system is finally opening their eyes and is no longer assuming that if she is a woman, she is automatically the more competent parent. This mentality is stemming from a law called the "Tender Years Act," in which in cases of divorce it would be legally automatic for the children to go to the mother. Why if she is getting ample visitation what's the problems, these are BOYS, let this man Dwayne Wade raise his sons. However we all know what her reason to keep dogging this issue and it's always about the M-O-N-E-Y. Siovaughn is missing them child support checks! So she is hurting her sons indiscriminately for the money. This is what is driving her nuts, the root of all evil, money! I think the courts see her scheme.
Thank God Mr. Wade has the money to fight this evil gold digging woman, most men don't have the resources to fight to save their children from their crazy, unstable mothers. I think the courts are seeing the results of children, particularly black children growing up without fathers, no discipline and totally out of control and men are considered a viable option to mothers.
Women's Liberation was driven the philosophy to women that raising children by themselves was a great idea. They brainwashed American women into thinking that they do not need men as fathers and that they (women) could be mothers and fathers, all that the need from the men is a sperm donation and a child support check and they can live without men, happily ever after. Not so. Women's Lib has done a lot for equality, however this single mother shit was a very bad idea.
Thank God, that the Family Court system is thinking impartially in children's best interest. God bless Usher, Dwyane Wade, Deion Sanders, more power to them!