In an essay she wrote for The Hollywood Reporter, the 'Juno' star urges others to remember 'the very real, endemic violence' faced by LGBTQ and other underrepresented communities every day.
- Feb 28, 2019
AceShowbiz - Ellen Page has penned an essay urging readers to not let the Jussie Smollett case make them lose sight of the fact that hate crimes against minorities exist.
The "Empire" actor went to the police in January and alleged that he was victim of a hate crime outside his Chicago, Illinois apartment, where two white men allegedly beat him up and tied a noose around his neck while yelling homophobic and racial slurs.
Shortly after the attack, Ellen made an emotional appearance on a U.S. chat show and said she was "really fired up" about the attack and blamed U.S. leaders for encouraging hate towards the LGBTQ community.
Jussie's story has since been called into question and he has been accused of paying two brothers to stage the incident, and the "Juno" star has now written a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter in which she called on readers to not lose sight of the fact that hate crimes against minorities are still a very real issue.
"The conversation around Jussie Smollett has led us all to examine hate violence and its implications and aftermath. I had no reason to doubt Jussie," she wrote. "If this situation was staged, it could make victims even more reluctant to report these crimes. Very real crimes... While the media and public debate the case and await more information, we must not lose sight of the very real, endemic violence that LGBTQ+ people, people of colour and other underrepresented communities face every day."
"I ask you not to question our pain, not to draw into question our trauma, but to maintain, wholeheartedly, that hate violence exists. The merits of one case should not and cannot call that into question. The media coverage does not convey the reality and totality of the cruelty and danger we face. This is the story that must be told."
Jussie was arrested last week, ends February 24, and charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly filing a false police report. He maintains his innocence and is currently free on bail.
