Pedro Pascal Wears “Protect the Dolls” Trans Support Shirt at ‘Thunderbolts*’ Premiere

The Fantastic Four: First Steps star Pedro Pascal made a big statement at the London premiere of Marvel Studios Thunderbolts*, showing his support for the transgender community at a time when anti-transgender sentiment is on the rise. Pascal will star as Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and will reprise his role in both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. He has become one of the world’s biggest actors, and he is using his status to shine a light on an issue close to his heart.

At the premiere of Thunderbolts* in London, Pedro Pascal wore a white T-shirt that said “Protect the Dolls” on it, via People. “Dolls” is an affectionate term used in the LGBTQ+ community to refer to transgender women. The shirt is part of 28-year-old American designer Conner Ives’s campaign efforts to highlight the increasing anti-transgender sentiment that trans women are experiencing around the world. The proceeds from the “Protect the Dolls” shirt are being donated to Trans Lifeline, a crisis hotline that offers support to transgender individuals in need.

Pascal has also been an outspoken supporter of transgender issues, as his sister, Lux Pascal, identified as a transgender woman in 2021. Pascal’s former co-star on The Mandalorian, Gina Carano, made offensive and anti-trans jokes on social media platforms. Those posts, coupled with spreading misinformation about vaccines and the 2020 election, eventually led to Carano being fired from not only The Mandalorian but also her planned spin-off series, Rangers of the New Republic. Meanwhile, Pascal currently stars in HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2, which will feature a transgender character in the coming episodes. The actor does not shy away from supporting transgender people, and, fortunately, he is not the only MCU star to do the same.

MCU Actors Taking a Stand Over the Years

Pedro Pascal’s decision to wear the shirt at the Thunderbolts* premiere comes just a week after the U.K. Supreme Court ruled the legal definition of a woman is based solely on biological sex, disqualifying transgender women. This decision was controversial, with some, like J.K. Rowling, choosing to celebrate the decision with an absurd post of her smoking a cigar and drinking a glass of whiskey. Meanwhile, thousands in London gathered to protest the decision, as they see it could lead down a slippery slope to undermining the rights of transgender women. The situation is also looking bleak in America, as Donald Trump issued an executive order recognizing only two genders. Anti-transgender sentiment is sadly on the rise, but some people rightfully aren’t staying silent.

Pascal is not the first MCU actor to wear clothing that shows support for the transgender community. During the promotion for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, star Tatiana Maslany wore a top that read “Support Trans Future.” In 2019, actor Don Cheadle, known for his role in War Machine, wore a shirt that said “Protect Trans Kids” during his appearance on Saturday Night Live. It’s nice to see actors who play superheroes realize their position to stand up for what is right and speak up for those who need protection the most.

Source: People