Ellen Page stars in "Gaycation"

by Austin Stallings
Gayly Intern

A new TV series seeks to shed light on the treatment of LGBT people from a global standpoint. "Gaycation" follows actress Ellen Page and her friend Ian Daniel as they travel abroad to explore the treatment of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people across the globe.

The show is featured on Viceland, which is led by acclaimed film director Spike Jonze.

Contrary to the title of the show, "Gaycation" isn't just about rest and relaxation. The show takes on an extremely dark and revelatory tone, as they venture to destinations such as Brazil, Japan, Jamaica and the United States.

Observing the personal stories in these countries speaks volumes for how perilous life can be for the LGBT community outside of the United States.

Brazil, for instance, has the highest LGBT murder rate in the world. Homosexuality is criminalized in Jamaica. It is legal in Japan, but, as we witness in the episode, the public opinion of homosexuality is not entirely positive.

In the United States episode, Page's heated encounter with Senator Ted Cruz is documented as they debate over his negative views on LGBT rights in the United States.

"Gaycation" is currently streaming on Viceland.com.

The Gayly – 3/9/2016 @ 5:00 p.m. CST