Actress Julia Roberts has joined the fight to protect LGBT youths within schools in Missouri.
She appeared on stage with 16-year-old student Miguel Johnson at the GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) Respect Awards to talk about keeping LGBT protections in place in light of Donald Trump’s presidency.
“I had the pleasure of presenting with Miguel at the GLSEN Respect Awards, and Miguel, like all the students I met there, is smart, kind and incredibly brave to live their life openly and honestly as such a young age,” Roberts said.
“As a parent, I want all students to feel safe and protected at school, and I stand with Miguel and trans students across the country. You are loved,” she added.
Roberts went on to call the president out for contradicting himself.
“Before Trump got elected, he always said he was totally for LGBTQ students, because they’re people too and they deserve an education.
“And then after he got elected, he was basically like, ‘Just kidding, I lied.’”
Johnson agreed that Trump’s own attitude to LGBT issues was having a negative and influential impact.
“The feeling went from, ‘Trump is supporting LGBTQ students, so I should too,’ to ‘Well, if he doesn’t care, I don’t need to either’,” he said.
However, Johnson is still working to make his fellow peers’ lives comfortable and encouraging everyone in the town to not “go back in time”.
“We need to be progressive. People don’t realise that these things affect people they know and care about.
“So I’m hoping that the more people come out and speak up, the more people will start realise this affects them too,” he said.
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