May 9, 2017
Watch: Debra Messing Appeals to Ivanka at NYC's GLAAD Awards, 'One Jewish Mother to Another'
READ TIME: 1 MIN.
Although she wasn't there physically, Ivanka Trump was front and center Saturday night at the GLAAD Media Awards in New York City as TV icon Debra Messing made a comic but impassioned plea to the first daughter during her acceptance speech for the organization's honor for Excellence in Media.
"Ivanka," Messing said. "one Jewish mother to another. It's not enough to say that women's issue are important to you. It's time to do something."
Messing appealed to Ivanka to tell her father real stories about real people who are suffering.
"Don't let him separate immigrant mothers from their American-born children. Don't let him take away health care from women who need it." Messing said.
And then invoking the struggle of transgender student Gavin Grimm, whose bathroom case was rejected by the Supreme Court, Messing said: "And don't allow him to make trans kids like Gavin fight in court for their basic human dignity."
In her politically-charged speech, Messing encouraged the crowd to fight the wave of anti-LGBT sentiment that has been ushered in with the Trump presidency.
"Don't get discouraged," Messing said. "The resistance has accomplished more in the 100 days than the president has in his. And we got pussy hats out of it, so there!"
