Elliot Page Opens up About His Life-Changing Top Surgery and Journey Coming Out as Transgender
In his first interview since publicly coming out as transgender, Canadian actor Elliot Page, best known for his roles in Juno and The Umbrella Academy, opens up about his journey navigating his gender identity and career.
As a part of his journey, Page revealed that he had undergone top surgery, a procedure to remove the breasts and reconstruct the remaining chest tissue and skin, allowing him to finally recognize himself when he looks in the mirror. Page publicly came out as transgender in December of 2020 over social media. In the post, he said, “I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self.”
Since coming out, Page has used served as a public advocate for the transgender community. “My privilege has allowed me to have resources to get through and to be where I am today, and of course I want to use that privilege and platform to help in the ways I can.” He added, “Extremely influential people are spreading these myths and damaging rhetoric — every day you’re seeing our existence debated. Transgender people are so very real.”
Page has recently become the first transgender man to appear on the cover of TIME and interviewed with the magazine. He explains that his mother was born in the 1950s and the daughter of a minister. When he was young, his mother tried to push him to do what she thought was best for him, even if it meant encouraging him to act like a girl. Despite this, Page’s mother has been very supportive of him coming out saying that “She wants me to be who I am and supports me fully. It is a testament to how people really change.”
“I’m fully who I am.” Actor Elliot Page and the fight for trans equality https://t.co/ozlpoqa2sb pic.twitter.com/OAKogfmoRx
— TIME (@TIME) March 16, 2021
Page goes on to talk about how his top surgery was not only life-changing but lifesaving. He says that it has “completely changed” his life and has made it possible to finally recognize himself. He also emphasizes that being transgender isn’t all about surgery. It is something that may be unnecessary for some or unaffordable for others.
When asked about the future of his career, Page says that he is receiving a lot of acting, directing, and producing offers. He says “I’m really excited to act, now that I’m fully who I am, in this body. No matter the challenges and difficult moments of this, nothing amounts to getting to feel how I feel now.”
