LOS ANGELES – The Oscar-nominated star of Juno, Inception and The Umbrella Academy, formerly known as Ellen Page, on Tuesday said he was a transgender person and had changed his name to Elliot. The actor asked to be addressed as he/they.
In his post, the 33-year-old said: “I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot.”
https://twitter.com/TheElliotPage/status/1333820783655837701
The announcement greeted as a watershed moment for the trans community in Hollywood.
Praising the Netflix star, Ellen Degeneres twitted that “You inspire me with your strength, courage and honesty.”
https://twitter.com/TheEllenShow/status/1333912493194833921
“I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer,” Page said.
Page, who hails from Nova Scotia, Canada, said his decision to come out as trans, came after a long journey and with much support from the LGBTQ community.
The Canadian actor went on to ask for ‘patience’, saying that while his joy is real, it is also fragile – admitting he is ‘scared of the invasiveness, the hate, the ‘jokes’ and of violence”.
He said, “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.”
“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.” The transgender actor said criticising the right-wing politicians.
Netflix also tweeted in response, supporting the actor.
https://twitter.com/netflix/status/1333821049381679111
Actor Elliot Page, who received an Oscar nomination for his performance in the 2007 film Juno, announced Tuesday that he is transgender.
He posted a public letter on Twitter and Instagram:
“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 in this place in my life.”
In Page’s previous roles, including in the X-Men series and Inception, he is credited as Ellen Page.
The posts received expressions of support from hundreds of thousands of followers, on both platforms, within hours of publication.
“I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self,” Page 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.”
In Page’s post, he asked “for patience. My joy is real, but it is also fragile.”
“I am also scared,” Page acknowledged. “The discrimination towards trans people is rife, insidious and cruel, resulting in horrific consequences.”
