Jamie Lee Curtis celebrates trans daughter in wake of Texas' anti-trans directive
Jamie Lee Curtis is speaking out amid a wave of anti-LGBTQ legislation across the country.
On Sunday, the "Halloween" star shared a celebratory message on Instagram in honor of her daughter Ruby's 26th birthday. Ruby, whom Curtis shares with husband Christopher Guest, is transgender.
"Today is the birthday of my trans daughter," the 63-year-old actress began. "I am proud and grateful to be the parent of a trans child and am sending support to all of the trans families across the US who are being targeted in this moment by conservative legislatures."
"This country was founded on freedom. A profoundly simple idea that everyone living here should be free to dream and achieve what they want freely," she continued. "OUR declaration of independence promises that we are endowed with certain unalienable rights including Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.....AND that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to defy it to ensure Safety and Happiness. A profound idea. Safety and Happiness!"
The "True Lies" star then seemingly took aim at the current situation in Texas, where Gov. Greg Abbott issued a letter on Feb. 22 directing the state's Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to investigate reports of gender-affirming care as "child abuse." This followed an official declaration from state Attorney General Ken Paxton that said the same.
"Now politicians are proposing that parents providing gender-affirming care for THEIR OWN children are felons and deserve prison time," Curtis wrote. "These laws are discriminatory, unjust, and anti-American. Freedom of expression includes gender expression!"
Gender affirmation can mean transgender people make changes to their lives to align with their gender identity -- such as a change of clothing, hairstyles, mannerisms, names and pronouns -- or changes to their physical characteristics via hormone therapy or surgeries.
Curtis concluded her post with a declaration that she would continue being an ally not only to Ruby, but also to other trans children.
"As a proud parent to my trans daughter I VOW to use my freedom of speech and my right to vote to SUPPORT my child and ALL children trying to live FREELY as who they are. #ProtectTransKids."
Curtis and Guest, who married in 1984, are also parents to a daughter named Annie, who was born in 1986.
