Tuesday marked a momentous turning point in the life of one of Nova Scotia’s best-known talents and respected environmental and LGBTQ+ activists as Elliot Page announced on social media that he is transgender.
The Academy Award-nominated star of the 2007 film Juno and the hit Netflix dysfunctional superhero family drama The Umbrella Academy posted the announcement on his @TheElliotPage Twitter and @elliotpage Instagram accounts just after 1 p.m., and the reaction was instantaneous with thousands of responses and retweets in support of the actor and his decision.
— Elliot Page (@TheElliotPage) December 1, 2020
“I want to share with you that I am trans, my prounouns are he/they and my name is Elliot,” wrote Page. “I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life.”
Page thanked the people in his life who’ve supported him along his journey, stating “I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self.”
While the actor said this is a moment of joy, it comes at a time when discrimination and violence against trans people occurs at a “staggering” level, particularly in the Black and Latinx trans communities. Page called out political leaders who have worked “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.”
“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,” Page concluded the announcement.
“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.”
In a blog post extolling Page’s announcement, GLAAD's director of transgender media Nick Adams praised the actor as an inspiration to trans and non-binary people, while also offering information as to how they and others should be respected with the use of their preferred pronouns and not “deadnaming” them with a former name moving forward.
“Elliot Page has given us fantastic characters on-screen, and has been an outspoken advocate for all LGBTQ people,” said Adams. “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.”
.@TheElliotPage has given us fantastic characters on-screen, and has been an outspoken advocate for all LGBTQ people. Elliot will now be an inspiration to countless trans and non-binary people. We celebrate him. All trans people deserve to be accepted. https://t.co/Ba7HOBgU5G pic.twitter.com/qFR1qG4H6q
— GLAAD (@glaad) December 1, 2020
