Elliot Page, actor and star of Juno and The Umbrella Academy, announced on his social media on Tuesday (Dec. 1) that he identifies as transgender.
In a note posted both to his Instagram and Twitter accounts, Page said that he goes by the pronouns “he” and “they” and that he was publicly changing his name to Elliot. “I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot,” Page wrote in their post. “I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life.”
The actor went on to thank the trans community for providing inspiration for him, ultimately crediting the community with his decision to come out publicly. “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,” he 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. I will offer whatever support I can and continue to strive for a more loving and equal society.”
Page first broke through into mainstream acting success with his lead role in the 2007 film Juno. For his role in the film, Page received nominations across the entertainment industry, including a nomination at the 2008 Oscars. The start went on to take on roles in the X-Men franchise, Inception, Flatliners, and most recently in Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy.
While Page was proud of his announcement on Tuesday, the star also urged his fans to be patient with him as he completed his transition. “My joy is real, but it is also fragile,” he wrote. “The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now and knowing how much privilege I carry, I am also so scared. I’m scared of the invasiveness, the hate, the “jokes” and of violence. I am not trying to dampen a moment that is joyouss and one that I celebrate, but I want to address the full picture. The statistics are staggering.”
Overall, though, Page said that he felt incredibly proud to come out as his truest self. “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,” he wrote. “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.”
Nick Adams, the director of transgender media at GLAAD, applauded Page for his courage in publicly speaking out about his transgender and non-binary identity. “Elliot Page has given us fantastic characters on-screen, and has been an outspoken advocate for all LGBTQ people,” he said. “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.”
Read Elliot Page’s full statement from his Twitter below:
