Actor and presenter Alan Cumming delivered a scathing monologue during a guest-hosting appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, where he fiercely defended the trans community and condemned ongoing political attacks against transgender Americans.
The Scottish-born bisexual performer, best known for The Traitors US, opened Tuesday night’s (22 July) show by calling out widespread transphobic narratives — particularly the false claim that men are pretending to be transgender to enter women’s bathrooms.
“There’s no evidence to back that up,” Cumming said bluntly. “Why on Earth would a rapist go to the bother of pretending to be trans in a country that actually treats rapists better than trans people?”
‘Like Superheroes’: Cumming Celebrates the Trans Community
Cumming, 60, went on to praise transgender people as “superheroes,” describing them as “special and magical” individuals living in a society that often rejects them.
“Like superheroes, they grow up in a society that doesn’t understand them, makes them the other, and often hits them,” he said. “Like superheroes, evil billionaires want to get rid of trans people for no f**king reason whatsoever.”
He emphasised that transgender people are not a new phenomenon: “They’ve been around forever and they’re not going anywhere, no matter how much [the Trump administration] tries to make you fear them.”
Calling Out Trump’s Transphobia and Hypocrisy
Cumming didn’t hold back in criticising Donald Trump, referring to the former president’s long record of anti-trans executive orders, including bans on gender-affirming healthcare, military service, and legal recognition for trans people.
Cumming referenced the 79-year-old president’s own record of alleged sexual misconduct, including the infamous Access Hollywood tape from 2016 in which Trump is heard bragging about assaulting women.
“There is, however, ample evidence that the president of the United States publicly brags about barging into beauty pageant dressing rooms and grabbing women by their p***ies,” he said. “Wake up, America!”
“How dare this president make random, unfounded accusations of sexual criminality against trans people,” Cumming added, “when he was literally ordered to pay $83 million to a woman who accused him of sexual assault.”
He compared Trump’s behaviour to “the pot calling the kettle black after trying to grab its handle in the changing room of a T.J. Maxx.”
Cumming: ‘What Kind of Country Are We In?’
This isn’t the first time the Cabaret star has condemned US policies targeting trans individuals. In January, while appearing on The View, he described the US government’s stance as “awful” and deeply disturbing.
“I can’t imagine what it must be like to be a trans person knowing that the government is trying to legislate that you do not exist,” Cumming said. “What kind of country are we in where we take rights away from people?”
As state and federal lawmakers continue to propose anti-trans legislation, Cumming’s voice adds to the growing chorus of public figures using their platforms to challenge bigotry and push back against hate.
