Ellen Page blames Mike Pence's politics for Jussie Smollett attack

On The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, actress and activist Ellen Page took aim at Vice President Mike Pence for his long history of opposition to LGBTQ rights. Pence has historically fought the legalization of gay marriage, and is accused of advocating for gay conversion therapy, and it was there that Page began her impassioned plea for change.“The Vice President of America wishes I didn’t have the love with my wife,” Page said. “He wanted to ban that in Indiana. He believes in conversion therapy.” The audience obviously agreed with Page as there was prolonged booing following this statement.Page then went on to blame Pence for the recent attack on Empire star Jussie Smollett, who was the victim of a suspected racist and homophobic assault early Tuesday morning in Chicago.“He has hurt LGBTQ people so badly as the governor of Indiana,” Page said, “and I think the thing we need to know, and I hope my show Gaycation did this in terms of connecting the dots, in terms of what happened the other day to Jussie, I don’t know him personally, I send all of my love, connect the dots.”Page has sparred with politicians in the past over their anti-LGBTQ policies. She confronted then presidential candidate Ted Cruz at the 2015 Iowa State Fair, and she put the onus on all politicians with such policies for attacks like the one on Smollett.

“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 gonna happen?” Page asked. “Kids are gonna be abused and they’re gonna kill themselves. And people are gonna be beaten on the street.” And finally, Page didn’t mince words when she called for an end to anti-LGBTQ sentiment in government.“I have traveled the world and I have met the most marginalized people you could meet,” Page said. “I am lucky to have the time and the privilege to say this. This needs to f**kin’ stop.”