Elliot Page, the Canadian star who received an Oscar nomination for is role as the star of “Juno”, just came out as transgender.
Elliot came out to his followers on social media with a heartfelt message.
“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. 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,” he wrote.
Before his transition on Tuesday, Page was one of the biggest out gay actors in Hollyood. Now, he uses he/him and they/them pronouns, and came out as transgender and non-binary, which means that his gender is neither a man nor a woman.
“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,” Page continued.
As a transgender actor of his status, Page immediately came to represent a growing number of trans actors in the industry, including Laverne Cox, Trace Lysette, and Brian Michael Smith.
While there is no doubt in his confidence, it is also true that coming out is extremely hard, and Page did not shy away from acknowledging this.
"I also ask for patience. My joy is real, but it is also fragile. The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now and knowing how much privilege I carry, I am also scared," he wrote. "I’m scared of invasiveness, the hate, the “jokes” and of violence."
The actor continued, "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 the end of his statement, Page placed the emphasis on his support for the transgender community in their fight for equality.
"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," he wrote, before signing off with, "Thank you for reading this. All my love, Elliot."
