Ellen Page Confronts Ted Cruz on 'Gay Stuff'

Actress debates gay rights and religious freedom with presidential candidate
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 21, 2015 7:30 PM CDT
Ellen Page Confronts Ted Cruz on 'Gay Stuff'
Incognito actress Ellen Page confronts Sen. Ted Cruz at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 21, 2015.    (Todd J. Gillman/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

Here's something you don't see every day: a Hollywood star and a Republican presidential nominee debating gay rights and religious freedom with only a few dozen sizzling pork chops between them. CBS News reports Ellen Page, star of Juno and Inception, interrupted Ted Cruz's pork-related media event today to talk about, in her words, "gay stuff." According to the Washington Post, Cruz said he didn't want to have a "back-and-forth" debate. They had one anyway. CBS reports Page, who is gay, opened by asking the Texas senator about the use of religion to justify discrimination against gays, pointing out similar tactics were used to support racial segregation. Cruz responded that church leaders played a critical role in ending slavery and Jim Crow laws.

The debate went on for five or so minutes, with Page asserting gay and transgender people are being fired for their sexual identity and Cruz countering that Christians are being persecuted for their faith, CBS reports. While the two didn't come to any major agreements, they both conceded it's awful Iran and ISIS are executing homosexuals. Cruz, who is hosting a rally tonight to call "attention to the religious persecution of Christian business owners and employees," told ABC News he didn't know it was Page while talking to her. ABC reports Page is working on a project for VICE. Interestingly both Cruz and Page were born in Canada. But, only one of them is buddies with Hugh Jackman. (More Elliot Page stories.)

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