‘Juno’ and ‘Umbrella Academy’ Star Elliot Page Announces He Is Trans in a Powerful Letter
Elliot Page shared that he is trans in an essay posted on Twitter and Instagram. His pronouns are he/they.
He opened up to fans, expressing happiness and also asking for patience and respect.
Elliot Page—Oscar-nominated star of Juno, Whip It, Netflix’s Umbrella Academy, and more—just made a major announcement to his fans. In a heartfelt letter posted on Instagram and Twitter, he shared that he is trans, his name is Elliot, and his pronouns are he/they!
He wrote:
“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 at this place in my life. 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. 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.”
After expressing his gratitude, Elliot took a moment to touch on how “fragile” his joy feels, adding that he’s fearful over discrimination and violence against the trans community. He took the opportunity to mention the great number of transgender people who have been murdered in 2020 alone (the majority of whom were Black and Latinx trans women).
“I also ask for patience. My joy is real, but it is also fragile. The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now and knowing how much privilege I carry, I am also scared,” he wrote. “I’m scared of invasiveness, the hate, the ‘jokes’ and of violence. To be clear, I am not trying to dampen a moment that is joyous and one that I celebrate, but I want to address the full picture. The statistics are staggering. The discrimination toward trans people is rife, insidious, and cruel, resulting in horrific consequences.
“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 toward the trans community: You have blood on your hands. You unleash a fury vile and demeaning rage that lands on the shoulders of the trans community, a community in which 40% of trans adults report attempting suicide. Enough is enough. You aren’t being ‘canceled,’ you are hurting people. I am one of those people and we won’t be silent in the face of your attacks.”
Concluding his letter, Elliot left his followers on a positive and hopeful note about the sheer love he now feels toward himself and the rest of 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. 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.”
As Elliot mentioned in his letter, it’s crucial to support the trans community in the face of violence and discrimination. To learn about what you can do to protect and support Black trans lives specifically, please look into the resources below:
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