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X-Men actress Ellen Page confronted Republican candidate Ted Cruz about gay rights and discrimination at the Iowa State Fair on Friday. The result was filmed for a new TV show.
On Friday night, Cruz is speaking at the Rally for Religious Liberty. He invited Richard and Betty Odgaard, a Mennonite couple, onstage. The Odgaards refused to rent an event space to a gay couple for their wedding and were fined $5,000 by the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. The Odgaards have since closer their business, and Cruz blamed that on "liberal fascism."
Cruz was grilling pork chops at the Iowa State Fair when Page confronted him. Page asked Cruz about workplace discrimination of LGBT people. Page is currently filming a show for Vice Media called Gaycation with Ellen Page, and this encounter will be part of the show.
"What about the question about LGBT people being fired for being gay-trans?" Page asked, in a video filmed by ABC News.
"Well, what we're seeing right now, we're seeing Bible-believing Christians being persecuted for living according to their faith," Cruz said.
Page told Cruz he was discriminating against LGBT people and asked if Cruz would use the same argument to support segregation.
"Now I'm happy to answer your question," Cruz said, "but not to have a back-and-forth debate."
Cruz discussed people choosing to not serve gay customers, like the Odgaards, and said that it's religious persecution if they are forced to do so - like making a Jewish rabbi perform a Catholic ceremony. Cruz is Christian and has said that he believes marriage is between one man and one woman.
Page, who came out as gay in 2014, has been outspoken about gay rights. Earlier this year, she criticized Queen Elizabeth for honoring Maurice Mills, a politician who blamed the LGBT community for AIDS and Hurricane Katrina.
Page is starring in Freeheld, a film with Julianne Moore and Steve Carrell. The film is about a real-life lesbian couple, portrayed by Page and Moore. Moore's character was diagnosed with cancer and fought to have her pension left to Page's character after her death. The trailer was released last month.
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