Canadian actor Elliot Page shares he is transgender

Elliot Page, Halifax’s own Hollywood star, has shared that he is transgender.

The actor is known for his Oscar-nominated role in Juno, as well as Inception and most recently The Umbrella Academy. 

He addressed his social media followers on Tuesday with a lengthy Instagram post, in which he shared that he is trans and that he uses the pronouns he/they.

“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,” Page wrote.

“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.”

Page describes ‘fragile’ joy

Page said he has been inspired by many in the trans community, and thanked them for their courage, generosity and working to make the world a more inclusive and compassionate place. 

While Page said his joy is real, it is also “fragile.” Despite feeling profoundly happy and acknowledging his privilege, he is also scared of the invasiveness, the hate, the jokes and the violence.

He cited the Human Rights Campaign’s figure that nearly 40 trans people have been killed in the United States in 2020 alone, with the majority of those being trans women of colour. 

“Enough is enough. You aren’t being ‘cancelled,’ you are hurting people. I am one of those people and we won’t be silent in the face of your attacks,” Page wrote.

Outpouring of appreciation

The letter was met with an outpouring of appreciation on social media, with Canadian musicians Tegan and Sara tweeting that Page’s strength, bravery and activism is “truly special.”