Patricia Arquette champions trans rights in powerful Emmys speech

Actress Patricia Arquette got teary-eyed in a heartfelt speech advocating for trans rights while accepting her Emmy Award on Sunday.

Arquette, who won for supporting actress in a limited series for her role as Dee Dee Blanchard in Hulu’s “The Act,” lost her transgender sister, Alexis Arquette, three years ago. Alexis had been living with HIV for nearly three decades when she died at age 47 in 2016.

“I’m grateful at 50 to be getting the best parts of my life. And that’s great, but in my heart, I’m so sad I lost my sister Alexis and that trans people are still being persecuted,” Arquette said in her acceptance speech.

“And I’m in mourning every day of my life, Alexis, and I will be the rest of my life for you until we change the world so that trans people are not persecuted … and give them jobs,” she added. “They are human beings, let’s give them jobs. Let’s get rid of this bias that we have everywhere. Thank you.”