Elliot Page has revealed the reason it was "crucial" for him to come out as transgender.
In December 2020, the Juno actor took to Instagram to share a lengthy heartfelt post, in which he shared with his 4.7 million followers that he is trans and his pronouns are he/they.
The actor explained this week that he felt it was "important" for him to share his story and live his truth after living over three decades in the wrong body.
Talking to Oprah Winfrey as part of her 'Oprah Conversations' series, Elliot discussed the process of coming out in his first televised interview with Vanity Fair.
He told Oprah:
"I was expressing this to people in my life much before posting that letter and telling people for the first time and knowing I wanted a moment to become comfortable in myself and to be able to get to that point.
"For me, in this time we're in right now and especially with this horrible backlash we're seeing towards trans people, particularly trans youth, it really felt imperative to do so."
The 'Umbrella Academy' star told Vanity Fair he was feeling "closeted for so long".
He added: "I came out as gay right before my 27th birthday and up until then I had pretty much never even touched someone outside who I was in love with.
"I think any sensation of feeling that again, there was just no way I could do it," he went on, adding that it had "felt important and selfish for myself and my own well-being and my mental health."
Elliot came out as trans in December last year, telling fans he "loves" that he is trans, but is "scared" of the "invasiveness, the hate, the 'jokes' and of violence" that he now faces.
In a poignant post on social media, the actor wrote:
"Hi friends, 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.
"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.
"My joy is real, but it is also fragile. The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now and knowing how much privilege I carry, I am also scared.
"I’m scared of the invasiveness, the hate, the ‘jokes’ and of violence. To be clear, I am not trying to dampen a moment that is joyous and one that I celebrate, but I want to address the full picture.
"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."
