Jonathan Van Ness recently appeared on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast to talk about their own podcast and Netflix show ‘Getting Curious’.
However, things took quite a turn when the two of them got into a heated debate about transgender rights and gender-affirming care. The 36-year-old American hairstylist, who identifies as non-binary, pointed out that lack of education is the root of right-wing ideologies and beliefs.
Shepard, on the other hand, disagreed to that, stating:
“They are conservative. They don’t like how quickly the country’s changing. I understand that, I can sympathize with that. They have different fears than we do — it’s not ‘cause they’re dumb or uneducated. They have a difference of opinion.”
Van Ness continued to explain his point, noting that “misinformation and disinformation plays a huge role” in their ideologies, “especially when it comes to gender-affirming care and access to abortion.”
Their back and forth discussion continued, leading to Shepard expressing:
“Some people are very uncomfortable about teenagers transitioning. They’re challenging that. How do we know that person’s not gonna change their mind? What if they kill themselves? And that’s really f**king permanent — that’s a good counterargument.”
“When you have an outsized reaction to something, there’s a good chance that you’re being exposed to misinformation and disinformation. And a lot of the rhetoric around anti-trans inclusion and just the anti-trans backlash does have a lot of misinformation and disinformation in it.
I think if you aren’t personally impacted by an issue, for people who are, it just is a bit exhausting,” Van Ness responded.
Later on in their discussion, Shepard apologized to the ‘Queer Eye’ star, explaining that he “did not intend” to engage in a heated debate with them.
“I didn’t want that at all. I adore you. I think that you’re hysterical and talented, and I love that you’re an activist,” the 48-year-old American actor and comedian stated.
Thereafter, Van Ness couldn’t help but tear up “because I’m so tired of having to fight for little kids because they just want to be included. I wish that people were as passionate about little kids being able to be included or grow up as they were about fictitious women’s fairness in sports.”
“I have to tell you I am very tired,” they further expressed, to which Shepard responded with: “I’m really sorry.”
You can listen to Van Ness and Shepard’s full heated discussion here.
Source: buzzfeednews.com
