Mae Martin has opened up about the alarming rise of anti-LGBTQ+ jokes in comedy.
Over the last few years, the beloved non-binary performer has wowed audiences with their roles in Feel Good and The Flight Attendant.
Alongside their expanding television and film catalogue, Martin has also gained notoriety for their hilarious yet informative standup performances.
In a recent interview with Paste, the 35-year-old talent opened up about their upcoming Netflix special, Mae Martin: SAP, and how it tackles the rise of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric within the comedy sphere.
“It’s always bittersweet. I wish I didn’t have to talk about gender and identity and stuff. Because it’s not the biggest or most interesting thing about me,” Martin explained.
“But I did feel a responsibility because it’s super important given everything that’s going on and all the legislation. It’s mind-boggling to me that people can look at what’s going on and go, ‘Oh, this is a really dangerous time.'”
Martin went on to compare the current comedy landscape to that of the 1990s – which featured a large amount of anti-LGBTQ+ discourse at the time.
“It’s very confusing to me. It feels like really willful ignorance because all the information is out there from the World Health Organization, doctors, parents, trans kids,” they added.
“We have all the information, so I don’t know why we haven’t caught up in terms of policy and public opinion. It feels like bad faith, culture wars nonsense. But will real-life consequences.”
Over the last few years, big-name comedians have used their platforms to spew hateful rhetoric regarding the trans community.
Back in 2022, Dave Chappelle came under fire after declaring himself a “TERF” in his comedy special for Netflix, The Closer. That same year, Gervais was slammed for making horrific comments about trans women and their bodies.
Towards the end of their interview, Martin expressed their hopes for viewers to gain more knowledge about LGBTQ+ issues after watching their SAP special.
“That’s what’s so great about comedy is if you can get people’s defences down and they’re laughing, and then hit them with the truth bomb, then that’s great,” they explained.
“I’ve tried to put it later in the show so that, hopefully I’ve earned some goodwill will all my silliness.”
Mae Martin: SAP is set to premiere worldwide on 28 March via Netflix.
Check out a teaser for the special here or below.
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