On Dec 2, Elliot Page, a.k.a. “The Umbrella Academy’s” Vanya Hargreeves, came out as transgender on their social media pages.
“Hi friends,” they wrote, “I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot.”
View this post on Instagram
“I’ve been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community. Thank you for your courage,” they 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. 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 their heartfelt announcement, celebrities sent in their messages of support, including “Umbrella Academy” co-stars David Castañeda and Justin H. Min.
? yes ? https://t.co/wbnBn1d1ye
— David Castañeda (@DavidCastanedaJ) December 1, 2020
welcome to the fam, elliot. ♥️ https://t.co/ElqkV1NjIh
— Justin H. Min (@justinhmin) December 1, 2020
Known for their roles in the 2008 film “Juno” and superhero franchise “X-Men,” the 33-year-old actor has been outspoken about LGBTQIA+ rights in the past few years. In 2014, they came out as gay in the Human Rights Campaign’s Time to Thrive Conference.
In 2017, the actor also stood up to homophobia, transphobia and sexual assault in a detailed statement posted on their Facebook. Page illustrated how humiliating it felt to be outed by director Brett Ratner when they were promoting their film “X-Men: The Last Stand” in 2005, which was corroborated by co-star Anna Paquin.
“What I want the most is for this to result in healing for the victims. For Hollywood to wake up and start taking some responsibility for how we all have played a role in this,” they explained. “Don’t allow yourselves to be numb to the voices of victims coming forward. Don’t stop demanding our civil rights…I am grateful to anyone and everyone who speaks out against abuse and trauma they have suffered. You are breaking the silence. You are [the] revolution.”
At the end of their statement today, Page acknowledged their privilege to come out and stood in solidarity with the trans community. They bravely spoke of their fear of the “invasiveness, the hate, the ‘jokes’ and violence” and the discrimination that trans people face every day.
“In 2020 alone it has been reported that at least 40 transgender people have been murdered, the majority of (whom) were Black and Latinx trans women,” they wrote.
“To the political leaders who work to criminalize trans healthcare and deny our right to exist and to all of those with a massive platform who continue to spew hostility towards the trans community: you have blood on your hands. You unleash a fury of vile and demeaning rage that lands on the shoulders of the trans community, a community in which 40 percent of trans adults report attempting suicide. 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 concluded: “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.”
Netflix said that it was “so proud of our superhero” on Twitter and confirmed with Variety that Page will continue to star as Vanya in “The Umbrella Academy’s” upcoming third season. The streaming platform also said that it was in the process of changing Page’s names across all projects they’re involved with on the site and that it should start to reflect on your devices starting today.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
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