Oscar-nominated actor Elliot Page formerly known as Ellen Page has come out as transgender. The actor took to social media to make the announcement. In a landmark move for a top Hollywood actor, the 33-year-old star said that it came after a long journey and with much support from the LGBTQ community. He thanked the trans community for helping him on his journey to “finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self.”
“I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer,” wrote the Canadian-born Page, who has recently starred in the Netflix superhero series The Umbrella Academy.
Page wrote, “I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they, and my name is Elliot.”
He added, “I feel overwhelming gratitude for the incredible people who have supported me along this journey. I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self. I’ve been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community. Thank you for your courage, your generosity and ceaselessly working to make this world a more inclusive and compassionate place. I will offer whatever support I can and continue to strive for a more loving and equal society.”
The actor fears of being trolled and added that his joy is real, but also fragile. He said in the statement, “The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now and knowing how much privilege I carry, I am also scared. I’m scared of the invasiveness, the hate, the “jokes” and of violence. To be clear, I am not trying to dampen a moment that is joyous and one that I celebrate, but I want to address the full picture. The statistics are staggering. The discrimination towards trans people is rife, insidious and cruel, resulting in horrific consequences.”
In his statement, he also made a political appeal and said, “To the political leaders who work to criminalize trans health care and deny our right to exist and to all of those with a massive platform who continue to spew hostility towards the trans community: you have blood on your hands. You unleash a fury of vile and demeaning rage that lands on the shoulders of the trans community, a community in which 40% of trans adults report attempting suicide. Enough is enough. You aren’t being “cancelled,” you are hurting people. I am one of those people and we won’t be silent in the face of your attacks.”
“I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer. And the more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive. To all trans people who deal with harassment, self-loathing, abuse, and the threat of violence every day: I see you, I love you and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better. All my love, Elliot”, he concluded.
— Elliot Page (@TheElliotPage) December 1, 2020
Page shot to fame from Jason Reitman’s 2007 film Juno in a performance as a pregnant teenager that earned him an Academy Award nomination.
