Canadian actor Elliot Page announced today that they are transgender and non-binary, meaning that their gender identity is neither man nor woman. Their pronouns are he/him and they/them. (This article will use they to refer to Page.)
“I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self,” wrote Page, who currently stars in The Umbrella Academy and was nominated for an Oscar for their role in Juno, in a post shared across their social media pages. “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.”
The 33-year-old Halifax-born actor also shared that their joy felt fragile, citing “staggering” statistics about the “insidious” and “cruel” discrimination directed toward trans people. “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,” they said.
Nick Adams, director of transgender media for GLAAD, thanked Page for being a longtime outspoken advocate LGBTQ people. “He will now be an inspiration to countless trans and non-binary people,” said Adams. “All transgender people deserve the chance to be ourselves and to be accepted for who we are. We celebrate the remarkable Elliot Page today.”
Page’s wife, 26-year-old Emma Portner, a Canadian dancer and choreographer who has been married to Page since 2018, wrote how proud she was of Page in an Instagram post. “Trans, queer and non-binary people are a gift to this world,” she said. “I also ask for patience & privacy but that you join me in the fervent support of trans life every single day. Elliot’s existence is a gift in and of itself. Shine on sweet E. Love you so much.”
Read Page’s full statement below.
— Elliot Page (@TheElliotPage) December 1, 2020
%0A%0A“I%20can’t%20begin%20to%20express%20how%20remarkable%20it%20feels%20to%20finally%20love%20who%20I%20am%20enough%20to%20pursue%20my%20authentic%20self,”%20wrote%20Page,%20who%20currently%20stars%20in%20The%20Umbrella%20Academy%20and%20was%20nominated%20for%20an%20Oscar%20for%20their%20role%20in%20Juno,%20in%20a%20post%20shared%20across%20their%20social%20media%20pages. %20“I%20love%20that%20I%20am%20trans.%20And%20I%20love%20that%20I%20am%20queer.%20And%20the%20more%20I%20hold%20myself%20close%20and%20fully%20embrace%20who%20I%20am,%20the%20more%20I%20dream,%20the%20more%20my%20heart%20grows%20and%20the%20more%20I%20thrive.”%0A%0AThe%2033-year-old%20Halifax-born%20actor%20also%20shared%20that%20their%20joy%20felt%20fragile,%20citing%20%22staggering%22%20statistics%20about%20the%20%22insidious%22%20and%20%22cruel%22%20discrimination%20directed%20toward%20trans%20people.%20%22In%202020%20alone%20it%20has%20been%20reported%20that%20at%20least%2040%20transgender%20people%20have%20been%20murdered,%20the%20majority%20of%20which%20were%20Black%20and%20Latinx%20trans%20women,%22%20they%20said.%0A%0ANick%20Adams,%20director%20of%20transgender%20media%20for%20GLAAD,%20thanked%20Page%20for%20being%20a%20longtime%20outspoken%20advocate%20LGBTQ%20people.%20“He%20will%20now%20be%20an%20inspiration%20to%20countless%20trans%20and%20non-binary%20people,%22%20said%20Adams.%20%22All%20transgender%20people%20deserve%20the%20chance%20to%20be%20ourselves%20and%20to%20be%20accepted%20for%20who%20we%20are.%20We%20celebrate%20the%20remarkable%20Elliot%20Page%20today.”%0A%0APage's%20wife,%2026-year-old%20Emma%20Portner,%20a%20Canadian%20dancer%20and%20choreographer%20who%20has%20been%20married%20to%20Page%20since%202018,%20wrote%20how%20proud%20she%20was%20of%20Page%20in%20an%20Instagram%20post.%20%22Trans,%20queer%20and%20non-binary%20people%20are%20a%20gift%20to%20this%20world,%22%20she%20said.%20%22I%20also%20ask%20for%20patience%20&%20privacy%20but%20that%20you%20join%20me%20in%20the%20fervent%20support%20of%20trans%20life%20every%20single%20day.%20Elliot’s%20existence%20is%20a%20gift%20in%20and%20of%20itself.%20Shine%20on%20sweet%20E.%20Love%20you%20so%20much.%22%0A%0ARead%20Page's%20full%20statement%20below.%0A%0A %0A%0Apic.twitter.com/kwti60bZLw%0A—%20Elliot%20Page%20(@TheElliotPage)%20December%201,%202020%0A){kind=link}