Living as his authentic self. On Tuesday, December 1, the actor formerly known as Ellen Page came out as a transgender male named Elliot via social media in an emotional message.
“Hi friends, I want to share with you that I am trans, My pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot,” began the Juno star. “I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life. 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.”
Page — who has been married to Emma Portner since 2018 — first came out as queer six years ago.
“I’ve been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community,” the 33-year-old continued. “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.”
Page went on to add that he is asking his fans for “patience,” as he is a bit “fragile” right now as he acknowledged the ongoing injustice in the LGBTQ+ community.
“The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now and knowing how much privilege I carry, I am also scared,” he admitted. “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. … In 2020 alone, it has been reported that at least 40 transgender people have been murdered, the majority of which were Black and Latinx trans women.”
Page, who most recently starred in Netflix’s “The Umbrella Academy” also pleaded for political leaders to care about the trans community in these uncertain and scary times.
“Enough is enough,” he said. “You aren’t being ‘canceled,’ you are hurting people. I am one of those people and we won’t be silent in the face of your attacks.”
At the end of the day, Page is excited to live his truth.
“I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer,” he said. “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 and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better. Thank you for reading this. All my love, Elliot.”
Support immediately poured into the post’s comment section to congratulate Page on the big news.
“This is a deeply moving statement, and I know so many of us feel so damn lucky that we get to bear witness to your authenticity, “one person wrote. “Thank you for being you, but moreover, thank you for centering trans and non-binary people who are most vulnerable in this moment,” while another echoed, “My heart just swells.”
Upon the release of Page’s letter, GLAAD also voiced its support.
“Elliot Page has given us fantastic characters on-screen, and has been an outspoken advocate for all LGBTQ people,” said Nick Adams, GLAAD’s Director of Transgender Media, said in statement. “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.”
