Patricia Arquette spoke out about the omission of her transgender sister Alexis Arquette from the Oscars’ “In Memoriam” segment, saying that she thought the moment would have provided a powerful message for transgender children.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Arquette said that while she was happy “Moonlight” won Best Picture and she was moved by “this beautiful story about a gay kid in America in a world that doesn’t accept gay people,” she thought it strange that the Academy did not honor her late sister’s passing.
“I’m really bummed. For the in memoriam, they left out our sister Alexis, and she was trans,” she told Vanity Fair. “We’re living in a time right now where trans kids can’t even go to the bathroom in schools and they’re diminished in society. It’s really unfortunate that the Oscars decided they couldn’t show a trans person who was such an important person in this community. Because ― trans kids ― it could have meant a lot to them.”
Arquette is referencing President Donald Trump’s recent rescission of an Obama-era guidance that protects the right of transgender students to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity in public schools.
Alexis Arquette passed away at the age of 47 in September 2016. The actress had 70 acting credits to her name prior to her passing, including major blockbusters like “The Wedding Singer” and “Pulp Fiction.”
