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Elliot Page referenced the numerous transphobic jokes from Ricky Gervais and Dave Chappelle and others in a new interview with Esquire.
Without naming names, Page questioned, “Why are people making it more difficult?”
“It really breaks my heart. It really breaks my heart. That’s literally all we’re trying to communicate. That’s what’s so funny to me.
“When people say, ‘Cancel this. Cancel that.’ No, they get four more comedy specials and have a jillion followers! The people getting cancelled are the trans people who are suffering, or killing themselves, or murdered.”
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Blaming the media, the actor continued, “People can actually be communicating in a way that isn’t aggressive, but then suddenly it’s all about creating this tension, and then this person doubles down on that! And, like: No. It’s a conversation—which, by the way, is what you’re saying you’re asking for.”
He insisted that “jokes have an impact that hurts people.”
“I understand that people might think it doesn’t. I understand that they’re not meaning to. But it’s not a joke. It’s not a joke. You believe what you’re saying. You believe it. It’s not a joke. They believe it. It’s clearly not a joke.”
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“And all we’re saying is: Can you just please listen and understand the harm that it causes? That’s all we’re trying to say. That is literally all we are trying to say. And then we get inundated with hatred for saying it. But I’m sorry: You are the ones who don’t want to have the conversation. You are the ones who are so sensitive, who can’t handle people saying, ‘Hey, can you not do that?’”
At the time of the controversy surrounding Chappelle in October, Page insisted he stood “with the trans, nonbinary and BIPOC employees at Netflix” as they staged a walkout over co-CEO Ted Sarandos’s comments defending the comedian’s “The Closer” special.
I stand with the trans, nonbinary, and BIPOC employees at Netflix fighting for more and better trans stories and a more inclusive workplace #NetflixWalkout https://t.co/LU8FPSBdwE
— Elliot Page (@TheElliotPage) October 20, 2021