Alan Cumming says America treats rapists better than trans people on Jimmy Kimmel Live
"Do you think anyone in the Trump Administration could actually name two trans people"
By Aaron Sugg
Actor and TV host Alan Cumming passionately defended the transgender community during his guest-host appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday night (23 July).
In his opening monologue, the Traitors US host drew attention to the growing political discourse surrounding the trans community, specifically bathroom bans, remarking that, in America, rapists are treated better than trans people.
The bisexual actor addressed the room with a tone of concern, asking, “How are you doing? I mean, how are you doing?” As if he already knew the answer… he did.
“Aside from being a country that’s just reintroduced concentration camps, taken health care away from 17 million people to give billionaires a tax cut, and also to finance an armed militiary of mass men that commits heinous assorted kidnapping and crimes against humanity on a daily basis. Aside from all that, are you okay?”
A subdued “no” from the crowd punctuated the moment.
“Superheroes walk among us – and they are called trans people”
With special guests including Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby from The Fantastic Four: First Steps film, the X-Men actor utilised the topic to highlight the current political debate on transgender communities in the US.
“These superhero movies are pretend,” Cumming said, “but I believe real-life superheroes walk among us – and they are called trans people.”
He continued to compare the two, stating that both grow up in a society that misunderstands them, he also accused “evil billionaires” of trying to erase trans people “for no reason.”
“Why on Earth would a rapist go to the bother of pretending to be trans”
Highlighting the wave of bathroom bans taking place in countries like the UK and the US, he stated there is “no evidence” to support such proposals.
“Why on Earth would a rapist go to the bother of pretending to be trans in a country that actually treats rapists better than trans people?” he asked the audience.
“Do you think anyone in the Trump Administration could actually name two trans people to be like uh, uh, Caitlyn Jenner and, uh, you know, the yellow Teletubby, and by the way you just keep my dog Lala’s name out of your filthy mouth,” using his humour to drive his critical point.
The guest host pointed to Donald Trump’s history of sexual misconduct allegations and controversial remarks about women. He referenced the infamous 2016 Access Hollywood tape, known for Trump’s “grab ’em by the pussy” comment.
He also spoke of a recent court ruling ordering Trump to pay $83 million in a sexual assault case, as well as Trump’s alleged ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Appearing on The View earlier this year, in a conversation about LGBTQ+ safe spaces, the actor spoke out about trans rights: “ [I] can’t imagine what it must be like to be a trans person knowing that the government is trying to legislate that you do not exist.”