Actress Debra Messing on Saturday
called on Ivanka Trump to use her influence with her father to steer
him toward greater acceptance of LGBT, immigrant and women's rights.
In accepting GLAAD's Excellence in
Media Award at its Media Awards ceremony in New York City, Messing
criticized President Donald Trump's policies without mentioning him
by name.
“Right now there is a very bad and
very orange man in our White House. At least a few days a month,”
Messing joked. “The person we shall not name came this close to
signing an executive order that legally allows for discrimination
against the LGBT community under the banner of 'religious freedom.'”
(Related: GLAAD
honors Debra Messing; Trevor Noah, Rachel Maddow win Media Awards.)
“There is someone I would like to
make a direct appeal to this evening. It is the Secretary of State
Ivanka Trump. Ivanka, girlfriend, what are you doing? Come on, it's
me Deb. Let's talk for a second one Jewish mother to another.”
“It’s not enough to simply say that
women’s issues are important to you. It’s time to do something.
You can change the lives of millions of women and children just by
telling your dad stories about real people who are suffering. Don’t
let him separate immigrant mothers from their American-born children.
Don’t let him take health care away from women who need it. Don’t
allow him to make trans kids like Gavin [Grimm] fight in court for
their basic human dignity,” she said.
Messing called on the younger Trump to
stop blindly defending her father and “start defending what you say
you believe in.”
“Ivanka, we know you love the guy who
does your hair color. It's good, by the way. So, do right by your
colorist,” she added to applause.
Messing in 2003 won an Emmy for playing
Grace Adler on the NBC sitcom Will & Grace. The sitcom,
which is returning for a new 12-episode season, was the first prime
time network comedy to feature a gay lead character.