Jamie Lee Curtis calls out transphobia from religious right in advocate award speech

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Jamie Lee Curtis is fed up with the anti-gay bigotry.

The "Knives Out" star affirmed the community and took aim at religious conservatives while being honored as advocate of the year at Out magazine's Out100 celebration on Thursday.

"I pray that the homophobia and transphobia that is being championed in the name of religion by the right is exposed and silenced as wrong by the love of humanity that is the center of our gay and our trans community," Curtis told an onlooking crowd.

Jamie Lee Curtis, left, gave a fiery speech after being honored as "advocate of the year" at the Out100 celebration.
Jamie Lee Curtis, left, gave a fiery speech after being honored as "advocate of the year" at the Out100 celebration.

The event recognized trailblazers for the LGBTQ community and included appearances from fellow honoree Brandi Carlile, as well as Tan France, Dylan Mulvaney, David Archuleta and Trixie Mattel.

Curtis told the crowd that she wrote out her speech because she wanted to be very "specific" about what she had to say.

"These are very dangerous times, and I'm very happy to be in a room with people who are fighting the best fight we can fight," she said.

The "Halloween" alum said that because of her celebrity, she is able to bring "exposure" to LGBTQ issues.

"I pray that it actually brings hope to others in similar situations as my family's in these very trying times," she said. "Especially trying times for people who have felt marginalized and have been hidden their entire lives, who have had the remarkable courage to state their truths, like my beautiful daughter Ruby."

Jamie Lee Curtis on advocating for daughter Ruby: 'You show up with your heart open'

Curtis' daughter Ruby came out as transgender in 2021. The "Halloween" actor has been supportive of her daughter's transition.

"As a woman in recovery, I know only too well that the truth will set you free," she said, referencing her sobriety after revealing her alcohol and opioid addiction following her 1987 film "A Fish Called Wanda." "Freedom is the goal. Freedom is the goal for all LGBTQ+IA human beings."

Curtis spoke about advocating for both of her children and telling haters to back off.

"My love for both of my daughters is absolute. It has never wavered, and it will never waver," she said. "And as their mother, it is my job to help protect them, and I hope teach them, that this is what you do when you're a parent: You suit up, and you show up with your heart open and your arms outstretched and your aim true. And your job is to tell the haters to back … off."

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After the crowd's applause, Curtis admitted she is sometimes "contradictory" or says "the wrong thing," but added she will continue to advocate for critically sick and injured children "wherever they are, whoever they are, whatever country they're from, whatever their … religious affiliations," she said.

"I will continue to do that, amidst all of the anger, and division, and cleaving of our shared shared coexistence, our shared humanity," she said.

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The comment is seemingly in reference to the backlash she received last month, after mistakenly posting a picture of children in Gaza in a post intended to express sadness for the deaths of Israeli children after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jamie Lee Curtis, Brandi Carlile honored by Out LGBTQ magazine