Elliot Page on balancing trans joy and harsh realities of anti-LGBTQ2S+ sentiment
CTV
Elliot Page is in a bit of an odd position, he says, being one of the most visible transgender men in the world. He's in a better place than ever before. The Halifax-born actor is able to be his full self without reservation. But at the same time, he has publicly declared himself part of a group that is under attack.
Elliot Page is in a bit of an odd position, he says, being one of the most visible transgender men in the world.
He's in a better place than ever before. The Halifax-born actor is able to be his full self without reservation. But at the same time, he has publicly declared himself part of a group that is under attack.
"The visibility is complicated," he told The Canadian Press in a recent interview. "No doubt we need to see ourselves and our joy reflected, and I know how much that's helped me on my journey. But of course, that can also lead to backlash, and does lead to the most vulnerable members of our community being affected the most in that way."
That dissonanceplays out in his memoir "Pageboy," published by HarperCollins Canada earlier this month.
"I'm just trying to achieve a balance in my own life."
The book gives readers a non-linear look at his life, exploring his childhood in Halifax and early entry into acting, the fame that came from his breakout role in "Juno" and the trauma that often comes with being queer in Hollywood.
He wrote of several sexual assaults over the years, of public speculation about his sexual orientation in his youth, of harassment he faced when he came out as a lesbian in 2014 and of incredulity when he announced he was transgender six years later.
