Dax Shepard Sparks Fury for Jonathan Van Ness Trans Comments: 'Problematic'
Queer Eye's Jonathan Van Ness was brought to tears discussing anti-transgender vitriol while appearing on Dax Shepard's podcast, Armchair Expert.Van Ness, who is non-binary and uses any pronouns, teared up and declared they were "emotionally exhausted" from the anti-transgender rhetoric happening across the country.In the most recent episode of the actor's podcast, the two began discussing whether The New York Times was a left- or right-leaning newspaper.
Van Ness pointed out it had published a number of articles questioning transgender identity and health care.Newsweek contacted Shephard's and Van Ness' representatives by email for comment."Some people are very uncomfortable about teenagers transitioning.
They're challenging that. How do we know that the person's not gonna change their mind?" Shepard began, as Van Ness tried to explain gender-affirming healthcare.Gender-affirming healthcare is wide-ranging, does not always include medical intervention, and is supported by major medical, nursing, and healthcare societies across the world.Shepard then argued those on the right opposed to issues such as gender-affirming healthcare for teens, drag queen story hours, trans people participating in sports, and boycotting brands who work with LGBTQ+ people, simply had a "difference of opinion.""They are conservative.
They don't like how quickly the country's changing. I understand that, I can sympathize with that," Shepard said. "They have different fears than we do—it's not because they're dumb or uneducated.
