Elliot Page came out as transgender
Tags: Self Improvement, Transgender, Media Criticism

In a post to social media Tuesday, Elliot Page, the Academy Award-nominated star of “Juno” shared his name and pronouns.

“Hi friends, I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot,” he wrote. “I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life.”

Page continued, “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.”

Page’s wife, New York dance teacher Emma Portner, is showing her support. The transgender community, in turn, felt inspired by Page and shared words of encouragement on social media.

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Elliot Page is a being a leader and beacon of hope to countless trans and nonbinary people in this moment, and we are grateful for him,” transgender army veteran Charlotte Clymer wrote on Twitter. Activist and writer Raquel Willis wrote: “Your heart has always been big and you’ve used your platform to show up for the entire community for years. Thanks for the gift of your truth!”

Other leaders in the transgender and nonbinary communities shared the same sentiments and discussed the importance of LGBTQ celebrities coming out and what that means for young people. The summary: The more stars that come out, the better, because examples lead to hope for those struggling.

“The most important thing here is, to have somebody of that talent and renown coming out, is just going to impact real people,” says Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. “At some point, in the last few years, Elliot saw somebody who was a role model, who opened up the possibility of transitioning to Elliot, and Elliot is, in a way, returning that favor.”

Elliot Page’s coming out ‘a step forward’

The Trevor Project’s National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health found that more than 80% of youth said that celebrities who are LGBTQ positively impact their feelings on being LGBTQ.

While representation onscreen certainly moves the needle forward toward acceptance, real people sharing their stories has an even larger impact.

“This is slightly different, because it’s not representation in a story or in a character, but it’s representation in a human being and their own story,” Chris Bright, director of public training at The Trevor Project, tells USA TODAY. “And to have somebody saying, ‘This is my truth. This is my story,’ means the world for a lot of trans and nonbinary youth who are struggling to find those role models and struggling to find people who identify in similar ways to them,” Bright says.

Keisling agrees: “Elliot is now a possibility model. And that matters a lot. Every time a prominent actor has come out, it’s had a really great impact on culture, on stigmatization, and on kids.”

This isn’t to say that Elliot’s story suddenly means all transgender youth are going to feel comfortable coming out.

“While I think role models are really important, and they can lay a blueprint or a road map for us, we also have to acknowledge that it’s up to each individual to figure out what is safest and what makes the most sense in their individual situation,” Bright, who is nonbinary, says. “Unfortunately, for some trans and nonbinary youth, their families are not accepting of them, or their schools or their friend groups, and it might not be safe in that moment to come out.”

Page, who married Portner in 2018, responded to the post with two heart emojis.

Fellow actors and other stars also took to social media to show their support.

Mark Ruffalo replied to Page’s coming out post with a heartfelt message.

“Congratulation, Elliot, in committing to the full expression of your self and being so open and candid about it,” Ruffalo wrote. “You have made this world a more tolerant and loving place with your commitment, courage, and vulnerability. We are lucky to have public figures like you.”

Ellen DeGeneres tweeted, “Sending love to my friend, @TheElliotPage. You inspire me with your strength, courage and honesty.”

Anna Kendrick wrote, “Elliot Page’s words here are so beautiful and so eloquent, and he is reminding me that we can all be brave and joyful, even when things are scary. And this year especially, that reminder is such a GIFT.”

Kumail Nanjiani tweeted, “I’ve been a fan of Elliot’s for a very long time and am excited to see him continue his fantastic work in the years to come.”

Tegan and Sara tweeted, “Profound love and admiration for you @TheElliotPage !! Your strength, bravery and activism — not to mention all the art you contribute to this earth — is truly special. Thank you for being so open about your journey and for fighting so hard to make the world a better place.”

The Netflix Twitter account also responded to Page’s post.

“So proud of our superhero! WE LOVE YOU ELLIOT! Can’t wait to see you return in season 3!” the video streaming service wrote, referring to Page’s role in the series “The Umbrella Academy.”