Elliot Page (who stars as Netflix’s most powerful The Umbrella Academy sibling and received an Oscar nomination for Juno) came out as transgender and non-binary on Tuesday morning in an Instagram announcement. “I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot. I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life,” Page wrote. “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.”
In addition, Page expressed solidarity with “all the trans people who deal with harassment, self-loathing, abuse, and the threat of violence every day.” He promised, “I see you, I love you, and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better.” Those words follow up on Page’s ongoing advocacy with the GLAAD organization, along with his condemnation of VP Mike Pence’s policies, which Page singled out as encouraging the normalization of homophobia that leads to hate crimes.
The announcement has been greeted with a mounting celebration. GLAAD Director of Transgender Media, Nick Adams, praised Page for being “an outspoken advocate for all LGBTQ people.” Adams added, “He will now be an inspiration to countless trans and non-binary people. All transgender people deserve the chance to be ourselves and to be accepted for who we are.”
The party moved to Twitter, where Elliot thanked GLAAD and TGI Project (advocating for transgender, gender variant, and intersex people) for their support.
— Elliot Page (@TheElliotPage) December 1, 2020
Thank you so much for the support and for all the incredible work you do. ❤️❤️ @tgijp https://t.co/ZPmbSZD4CA
— Elliot Page (@TheElliotPage) December 1, 2020
Soon, The Umbrella Academy and Netflix accounts added their voices to the chorus, along with many of Page’s fellow entertainers.