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Ellen Page Draws Line From Antigay Mike Pence to Jussie Smollett Attack
Ellen Page Draws Line From Antigay Mike Pence to Jussie Smollett Attack
Appearing on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, the out actress implored people to "connect the dots" between hateful rhetoric and violence against marginalized people.Â
Actress and producer Ellen Page railed against the Trump administration, and particularly against Mike Pence, for fomenting an environment that leads to marginalized people becoming the targets of harassment, like the incident this week in which Empire star Jussie Smollett was beaten while assailants hurled racist and homophobic slurs at him.
"Connect the dots," Page demanded after listing the ways in which she views Pence as a threat to LGBTQ people.
The Juno star, who came out as gay at an LGBTQ youth conference in 2014, was appearing Thursday on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert to promote her new Netflix series, The Umbrella Academy, when she spoke out passionately against the administration.
"It feels impossible to not feel this way right now with the president and the vice president, Mike Pence, who wishes I couldn't be married," a visibly upset Page told Colbert.
"Let's just be clear. The vice president of America wishes I didn't have the love with my wife. He wanted to ban that in Indiana," Page said, pointing to a picture of her with her wife, dancer and choreographer Emma Portner. "He believes in conversion therapy. He has hurt LGBTQ people so badly as the governor of Indiana."
By the end of her appearance, she was imploring people to make a connection between hateful rhetoric emanating from those in power and the bullying and violence marginalized people face.
"In terms of what happened the other day to Jussie ... connect the dots. This is what happens. If you are in a position of power and you hate people and you want to cause suffering to them. You go through the trouble, you spend your career trying to cause suffering, what do you think is going to happen?" Page said.
"Kids are going to be abused and they're going to kill themselves and people are going to be beaten on the street," she continued. This needs to fucking stop."
If you are a trans or gender-nonconforming person considering suicide Trans Lifeline can be reached at (877) 565-8860. LGBTQ youth (ages 24 and younger) can reach the Trevor Project Lifeline at (866) 488-7386. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255 can also be reached 24 hours a day by people of all ages and identities.
