The actor Elliot Page (36) was seen on Canadian television as a child and later became successful in the USA. In his memoir, he talks about his experiences as a queer person in Hollywood.
Who is Elliot Page? Elliot Page is a Canadian actor known for roles in X-Men, Juno, and the Netflix series Umbrella Academy. In 2020, he came out as trans. Until then, Page had lived as a lesbian woman since 2014.
In his memoir “Pageboy”, which was released today, June 6, the actor speaks about the realities of queer individuals (via Espinof).
Elliot Page’s coming out was integrated into the 3rd season of Umbrella Academy. In the first two seasons, he portrayed a female role.
“Famous Bastard at Party”
What did Elliot Page experience? In a chapter titled “Famous Bastard at Party”, Page recounts verbal assaults by a famous actor at a party, about two months after his coming out as a lesbian woman.
In an excerpt provided to People magazine, it states that it was an acquaintance of Page. This person reportedly confronted him about his homosexuality during a birthday party in 2014:
You are not homosexual. That doesn’t exist. You are just afraid of men. […] I will f*ck you so you understand that you are not homosexual.
A few days later, Page encountered the actor again in the gym. The actor assured him that he had no problem with homosexual people, to which Page reportedly replied: “I think you do.”
Why does Page share the story? The 36-year-old intentionally keeps the actor’s name a secret, yet it was important for him to talk about the incident. Because there have already been many such events in his life and the lives of many other queer individuals.
We often do not talk about these moments, or it is expected that we simply brush them off; however, it is actually pretty terrible. I included this story in my book because it is about showcasing the reality, the shit we have to deal with.
The actor in question will find out and know that he is meant, according to Page.
Despite everything, the Netflix star is not only focused on highlighting the negative sides but also on celebrating queer identities.
Because by now, Page seems to have found acceptance and is happy with his identity and being able to live it openly at last. In an interview with People magazine, he can hardly stop smiling: “I never expected to feel this way.”
In the USA, many anti-trans legislations are currently being created (via translegislation.com). There is also an increase in violence against people from the LGBTQIA+ community. (via gendergp.com).
As Page reports, there are recurring moments in environments that are primarily cis – meaning not trans – and heterosexual, similar to what happened to him – whether they are openly and extremely like the described incident or more subtle jokes.
This is particularly a problem in Hollywood, where some of those in charge have a lot of control over whose stories are told and seen by people around the world. Over the past few years, there have been repeated revelations and court proceedings due to abuse of power, sexual assaults, and other crimes.
The gaming industry is not free from this either:
Sexism in the Gaming Industry: “I thought that was part of it”
