Will Ferrell says transphobia “stems from not being confident or safe with yourself”

Will Ferrell Photo: Shutterstock

Will Ferrell shared his thoughts on the causes of transphobia in a profile published earlier this week.

“I think we’re afraid of what we don’t know,” the actor said independent person.

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Ferrell and longtime best friend Harper Steele have been busy promoting their new documentary. Will & Harper” is now available on Netflix. The film follows the pair on a road trip across the United States, and has been hailed by critics as a moving and highly entertaining portrayal of their friendship.

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Steele, a comedy writer, came out as transgender in 2021 and subsequently wrote a letter to her friend and longtime collaborator Ferrell, saying that if she was ever misgendered, he would expressed his hope that he would stand by his side and speak for him.

According to independent person, Will & Harper Part of the inspiration for this work came from the question of whether Steele, who comes out as a trans woman, could still travel the country and make friends with strangers. However, during the road trip, Ferrell told British media that the two met many people who were “just…’you, you, you’re not a threat.'”

“There’s hate out there. It’s very real and it’s very dangerous for transgender people in certain situations,” Ferrell acknowledged. “But I don’t understand why trans people would threaten me, a cis man. I don’t understand why Harper is threatening me.”

“It’s so strange to me, because Harper finally… she” Ferrell said, returning to the topic of transphobia. “She’s finally who she’s supposed to be. Why should I care if anyone is happy, whether or not I can be mad about it in the end?” Why is it threatening you? I think if the trans community is a threat to you, it’s because you don’t feel confident or safe in yourself.

Steele said transphobia in ostensibly left-leaning media is new york times Frequently “in the back of my mind”.

“That’s why I often ask the reporters I interview first if they believe me,” she said. “Do they believe in me? Does that mean I’m legitimate? Because that’s not always part of the conversation. I like to start there. Because there’s a certain amount of Because there are a lot of people who just can’t seem to get it for a reason.”

Will & Harper Director Josh Greenbaum said: independent person Everyone involved in the film knew it would be seen as political, given the wave of Republican-backed anti-trans legislation that has swept the country in recent years.

“But at its core, it’s a very pure and simple story of two friends,” Greenbaum said of the doc. “I think that could lead to more minds being changed and influenced. In the current situation we’re in, it’s hard to smell an agenda or someone trying to convince you to do something. If we got a hint that we were trying, we’d lose half our audience. We weren’t trying to avoid politics by any means, but we felt like politics wasn’t central to the story we were telling.”

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