‘White Lotus’ star claps back at anti-LGBTQ+ haters, and we have no choice but to stan
The actor's 'White Lotus' character might not have been an upstanding guy, but in real life he's a true ally.
Just when we thought we couldn’t be any more obsessed with the cast of The White Lotus, one of them is showing their support for the trans community on Instagram in a big way. We love our allies!
The ally in question is actor Michael Imperioli, who played Dominic Di Grasso in the Sicily-set second season of the hit HBO dark satire. And while Dom was a bit of a philandering hotshot suffering from a crisis of conscience while on vacation with his son and elderly father, Imperioli’s been nothing but a stand-up guy.
Look no further than his Instagram, where one of his most recent posts is a graphic of the trans pride flag, accompanied by the following caption:
“dear brothers, sisters and siblings. fear not, be strong and don’t let the bastards grind you down. love you.”
Amid the recent wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation—including a terrifying number of bills deliberately attempting to legislate trans and non-binary people out of existence—even small gestures like this can make a difference.
We as a community can fight back and make our voices heard, but vocal support from our allies is vital, and we call on more cisgender, heterosexual men to speak up for us just like Imperioli.
Even better, Imperioli is best known for his Emmy award-winning work on The Sopranos, starring as DiMeo crime family power-player Christopher Moltisanti. And while the celebrated HBO drama sure has fans from all walks of life, there’s no denying it’s a favorite among straight guys who view it as a bastion of a certain brand of the masculine, tough-guy ideal.
Which is to say: Not all of Imperioli’s followers were pleased to see his support of the trans community. But the actor was quick to let them know that he doesn’t want them following anyway. Bye, haters!
Will give this first person—who claims to not recognize the trans pride flag—the benefit of the doubt, but Imperioli made sure they knew what it really represents:
Another commenter thought they did something here, only to be called out for their poorly worded post:
And, when someone else tried to shame Chris for being an ally, this just might be our favorite response:
Elsewhere on Instagram, writer and pop culture curator Evan Ross Katz has shared a few of his favorite clapbacks from Imperioli, and they’re pretty incredible. You tell’em, Michael!
And we should note: Not all of the comments on Imperioli’s post are negative—far from it. Trans icons like Drag Race Season 15 frontunner Sasha Colby and Anything’s Possible star Eva Reign replied, thanking the actor for his powerful post.
Others fans logged on to share their support and stories of their own. This one sums it up quite nicely:
And another felt compelled to express what Imperioli’s post means to them, as a trans man:
In summary, thank you, Michael Imperioli, for being the boss daddy trans ally we always knew you were. Your support for the entirety of the LGBTQ+ community means the world to us!
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