US television icon Ellen DeGeneres made her first public appearance since relocating to the UK, confirming she moved the day after Donald Trump was re-elected as US president, according to a BBC report.
A prominent figure in American entertainment for over 30 years, Ellen is widely known for her long-running daytime talk show, her 1990s self-titled sitcom, hosting major award shows like the Oscars, Grammys, and Emmys, and for voicing the beloved character Dory in Finding Nemo.
On Sunday, during a conversation with broadcaster Richard Bacon at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham, Ellen was asked whether she had moved because of US President Donald Trump. She responded simply, “Yes.”
Speaking to the audience, Ellen shared that life in the UK feels “just better.”
She also noted that she and her wife, Portia de Rossi, are considering renewing their vows in England amid growing concerns over possible reversals of gay marriage rights in the US, BBC reported.
She added that America can still be “scary for people to be who they are.”
On Sunday, during an event at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham, Ellen DeGeneres took part in a conversation with broadcaster Richard Bacon. When asked if reports were true that she moved to the UK because of Donald Trump, Ellen confirmed with a simple, “Yes.”
Trump’s stance on gender
On January 25, his first day in office, Donald Trump signed an executive order stating that U.S. policy recognises only two sexes: male and female. This set the stage for a series of actions that affected the LGBTQ community. His administration barred transgender women from participating in women’s sports, reinstated a ban on transgender people serving openly in the military, and removed LGBTQ references from national landmarks like Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, a historic site for early gay rights activism.
Further actions included cancelling $800 million in LGBTQ health research grants and shutting down a national suicide prevention hotline specifically for LGBTQ youth.
Donald Trump’s position on same-sex marriage has shifted over time. In a 2000 interview with The Advocate, as reported by CBS News, he voiced support for domestic partnerships, a stance that was uncommon among Republicans at the time.
However, by 2015, he told CNN he supported “traditional marriage.”
Shortly after winning the 2016 election, Trump said in a 60 Minutes interview that he was “fine” with same-sex marriage—an opinion that notably diverged from the 2016 GOP platform, which criticised the Supreme Court ruling that legalised it nationwide.
(With inputs from BBC and agencies)