Canadian actor and producer Elliot Page shared exciting news this week. After posting a statement on Instagram, Page came forward to tell the world that he is now living life as his true and authentic self! The award-winning thespian explained they identify as a non-binary, transgender person in a heartfelt social media post uploaded on December 1, 2020.
Page uses both he/him and they/them pronouns, so I’ll be using he/him when referencing the actor in this story.
Page shared his gratitude for the people who have supported him and expressed his love to finally emerge with his true, authentic identity. Part of the message also acknowledged the invasiveness, hate, and violence many transgender people encounter.
“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.”
The positive online support Page has received comes just days after actress and LGBTQ+ advocate Laverne Cox and a friend were targeted in a transphobic attack. The two were at Griffith Park in Los Angeles when a man aggressively approached them and then attacked the actor’s friend. Thankfully neither was seriously injured, but the violent incident did trigger Cox. The Orange Is the New Black alum retells the encounter in an 11-minute-long Instagram video.
Page ended his letter “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.”
Best known for starring in the comedy-drama Juno and action film Inception, Page has been a champion of LGBTQ+ rights and representation. In 2016, the actor paired up with his friend Ian Daniel for a TV documentary series called Gaycation. The VICE show featured the two hosts embarking on a journey around the world to learn about different LGBTQ cultures. From getting friendship-married at a Buddhist temple in Japan to visiting Rio for Carnival, the duo provided a spotlight for international stories of triumphs and tribulations the LGBTQ community experiences. The year-long show received several award nominations.
A couple of years later, the 33-year-old joined the Netflix adaptation of Tales of the City. The reboot put queer representation at the forefront and made sure the same was done behind the cameras with queer writers. Page, who plays Shawna Hawkins, told Variety in 2019 it “warms my heart.”
Now, of course, he portrays Vanya Hargreeves in the widely-popular sci-fi action series The Umbrella Academy. In season two of the show, his character shared an intimate moment with Marin Ireland’s character, introducing Vanya’s character as queer and presenting an LGBTQ+ storyline in the show. Robert Sheehan’s Klaus Hargreeves also contributed significantly to the community’s representation, as his character is pansexual and non-binary.
You can learn more about how to respectfully share Page’s story by reading GLAAD’s tip sheet. The article shares common mistakes and terminology to avoid when referring to Elliot Page.
