Elliot Page, a Canadian actor best known for his work on “The Umbrella Academy” and “Juno” announced on December 1st that he is transgender. The 33 year old took to Twitter that day to release a heartfelt statement to his fans and the general public. “I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self,”, he stated. Page included that he uses both he/him/his and they/them/theirs pronouns, and that he identifies as both transgender and nonbinary. Support poured in from a multitude of celebrities on social media, including Miley Cyrus, Ellen DeGeneres, Ruby Rose, Natasha Lyonne, Anna Kendrick, and Kat Dennings. This news was also well received by members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community around the world.
Page rose to fame in 2005 after starring in the thriller “Hard Candy,”, directed by David Slade. However, his biggest success arguably came from “Juno”, released in theaters in 2007. This film earned him an Emmy nomination among many other awards and praises. More presently, however, Page is known for his role as Vanya Hargreeves on Netflix’s award winning television series “The Umbrella Academy.”. These roles have gained Page millions of fans, including 4.2 million followers on Instagram and 1.8 million on Twitter, as of December 2020. His coming out statement has amassed 1.8 million likes and over 40,000 replies on Twitter.
Page’s coming out has initiated a wave of LGBTQ+ community members praising his bravery, sharing their stories, and even coming out to the public themselves. Having a transgender public figure like Elliot Page encourages young LGBTQ teenagers to embrace themselves. Page’s success models the success that is possible for everyone, regardless of gender or sexuality. Twitter user @greenegirl14 praised Page by saying “every bit of love I have, I send to you. Especially on behalf of my trans daughter. Thank you.”. Other users posted pictures of their “Juno” DVDs with Page’s former name crossed out and replaced with Elliot.
Elliot Page’s coming out story is one of the few that exist in Hollywood. However, it is clear that their influence and wisdom have inspired many, and that he will not be the last to possess the strength and bravery to tell the world who they truly are.
