Elliot Page, the actor known best for his starring roles in Juno and The Umbrella Academy, has publicly shared that he is transgender. Page made the announcement on Instagram with a screen-capped note to his followers in which he expressed “overwhelming gratitude for the incredible people who have supported me along this journey.” The actor, who previously came out as gay in 2014 while giving a speech during a Human Rights Campaign event, has long been outspoken in support of the LGBTQ community—something Page pledges to continue in his open letter, which also addresses his complicated feelings in this moment. “The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now and knowing how much privilege I carry, I am also scared,” Page says. “I’m scared of the invasiveness, the hate, the ‘jokes,’ and of violence.” The actor acknowledged the grim reality trans people face in the United States, where “at least 40 transgender people have been murdered” in 2020, “the majority of which were Black and Latinx trans women.” Page called out political leaders “who work to criminalize trans health care and deny our right to exist,” as well as “all of those with a massive platform who continue to spew hostility towards the trans community,” noting that 40 percent of adults in the trans community report having attempted suicide. “Enough is enough,” says Page:
Page ends his message on an uplifting note, embracing his identity and dedicating himself to supporting others in his community: “To all trans people who deal with harassment, 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.”