Jamie Lee Curtis: Championing LGBTQ+ rights ahead of 'Freakier Friday'

As Jamie Lee Curtis prepares to reprise her role in Freakier Friday, the much-anticipated sequel to the 2003 body-swap comedy, her off-screen role as a vocal LGBTQ+ advocate is just as commanding. For Curtis, activism isn’t a side project - it’s a deeply personal mission, shaped by her love for her daughter, Ruby Guest, who came out as transgender in 2020.

Ruby, now 29, first began questioning her gender identity at 16, but it wasn’t until years later - encouraged by her now-wife - that she came out to her parents. “I didn’t actually tell them in person,” Ruby shared in an interview. “I messaged them afterwards and told them that I really wanted to tell them that I’m trans”.

Curtis’s response was characteristically warm and humorous: “Well, you know, men can wear dresses too.”

Since then, Curtis has embraced her role as a public ally with fierce dedication. She’s spoken openly about the learning curve of parenting a trans child, admitting to occasional missteps but always leading with love. “It’s my job to fight against transphobia,” she told The Independent, adding that she wants to be part of a world where everyone feels safe and seen.

Curtis has also used her platform to speak out against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and rising hostility toward queer communities. In a heartfelt Instagram post earlier this year, she reassured LGBTQ+ youth: “For all those people there will be those who will help you. Me included.”

Ruby, who now works as a video game editor, has also spoken publicly about her journey. “I definitely feel more at home in my own skin,” she said. “Since I started going on estrogen and hormone blockers, everything’s felt better”.

She’s also encouraged other young people to come out when it’s safe to do so, saying, “You’ll feel much more relieved, even if it’s just to your friends.”

Curtis’s advocacy has not gone unnoticed. She was named Advocate of the Year by The Advocate magazine and continues to be a visible, vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights. She even officiated Ruby’s cosplay-themed wedding dressed as a World of Warcraft character - a joyful, public celebration of queer love and family acceptance.

As Freakier Friday hits UK cinemas on 8 August, Curtis’s dual role - as a Hollywood icon and a devoted mother-activist - reminds us that representation matters, both on screen and off. Her message is simple but powerful: “Live wisely and love well.”