TORONTO — Author Anne Rice said her public message of support for Canadian actress Ellen Page’s decision to come out as gay last Friday attracted “a lot of hostility and hate and hate speech.”
After Page’s speech in Las Vegas, Rice posted a message on Facebook that read: “I applaud her courage … Every time a prominent person comes out, a blow is struck against ignorance, stereotyping, bigotry and bullying.”
Rice said later although there were “positive and substantive comments” from many of her more than 917,000 followers, she decided to delete those who reacted with hate.
WATCH: Canadian actress Ellen Page comes out as gay
“I will no longer tolerate hate speech in the guise of Christian belief with the usual irresponsible pick and choose bible quotes and talk of ‘sin’ and hellfire,” she wrote on Facebook. “I have had enough of it, and I think the world has had enough of it too.”
Rice, whose son Christopher is gay, said she hopes Page’s decision to come out inspires more celebrities and public figures to do the same.
“Anyone who thinks this does not matter is deceiving himself or herself. It matters very much,” she wrote. “Gay people in all walks of life suffer from bigotry, bias, superstition, and ignorance.”
When a Facebook user challenged Rice, the Interview With the Vampire author responded: “Many Christians are extremely aggressive towards those they despise and seek to control and change. When they bring hate speech to this page, I will delete and ban them.”
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