Juno and Umbrella Academy star Elliot Page comes out as trans with defiant message of love and hope
Elliot Page has come out as trans. (Getty)
Elliot Page has come out as trans with a powerful message of love and hope.
Page declared his pride in being transgender and opened up about his fear about the “invasiveness, the hate, the ‘jokes’ and violence” that come with being openly trans.
The actor, who made his breakthrough in Juno and currently stars in the Umbrella Academy, wrote on social media: “Hi friends, I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot.
“I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life.”
Elliot Page, who has long been a vocal advocate for the LGBT+ community, said he feels “overwhelming gratitude” for those who have supported him along his journey, including those in the trans community.
“I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self,” he wrote.
“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.”
Asking for “patience” as he navigates his identity, Page addressed the “staggering” statistics of violence against trans people.
“My joy is real, but it is also fragile,” he wrote
“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.”
Acknowledging that at least 40 trans people have been murdered in the US alone in 2020, Page directly addressed the likes of Donald Trump – “the political leaders who work to criminalise trans health care and deny our right to exist”, as well as “all those with a massive platform who continue to spew hostility towards the trans community”.
“You have blood on your hands,” he added.
“You unleash a fury of vile and demeaning rage that lands on the shoulders of the trans community, a community in which 40 per cent 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 don’t be silent in the face of your attacks.”
Concluding, Page wrote: “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 the 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.”
Nick Adams, GLAAD’s director of transgender media, commended Elliot Page in a statement.
“Elliot Page has given us fantastic characters on-screen, and has been an outspoken advocate for all LGBTQ people,” Adams said.
“He will now be an inspiration to countless trans and non-binary people. All transgender people deserve the chance to be ourselves and to be accepted for who we are. We celebrate the remarkable Elliot Page today.”
