Ahead of the imminent release of his highly anticipated memoir, Elliot Page reflects on the challenges he encountered while navigating his identity.
In December 2020, Elliot courageously came out as transgender, sharing the news with his followers on social media. His heartfelt statement began, “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.”
Expressing his immense gratitude, Elliot continued his message, which was met with an outpouring of love and support from fans. 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 then, Elliot has been open about his personal journey. Now, as he prepares to release his memoir titled Pageboy on June 6, he shares even more of his story.
In an interview with People magazine, Elliot confesses that he feels “slightly overwhelmed” but remains “grateful.”
Reflecting on the process of writing the memoir, Elliot admits that he never thought he would be capable of such a feat.
However, he believes that now is the right time to share more with the world, especially considering the misinformation and lies that surround LGBTQ+ lives and healthcare.
Elliot acknowledges the tendency to pick apart and sometimes generalize trans and queer stories. He wanted to combat this by offering his unique perspective. “So the first chapter of Pageboy, I just sat down and it came out and I just didn’t stop. I just kept writing.”
In the first chapter of the memoir, Elliot delves into his sexuality, recounting a significant moment in his life.
He recalls his first kiss with a woman named Paula in a gay bar, just months before the release of the film Juno, which propelled him to global fame and earned him an Oscar nomination in 2007.
Describing the encounter, Elliot writes, “The sound of her voice radiated warmth, a kindness. It wasn’t so much that her eyes lit up but that they found you. I could feel her looking. We went to Reflections. It was the first time I had been to a gay bar and would be my last for a long time. I was a miserable flirter. Flirting when I didn’t mean to and not when I wanted to. We stood close, but not too close.”
Elliot reflects on the joy he felt in being present in a queer space, although shame had been ingrained in him from a young age.
He struggled to rid himself of that toxic and corrosive internalized negativity. But in that moment, on the dance floor, he experienced a sense of liberation and understanding.
The memoir excerpt further describes Elliot’s boldness as he asked Paula if he could kiss her. The transformative nature of that kiss allowed Elliot to comprehend the essence of desire and the significance behind poetic expressions of love. It shattered the coldness and emotionlessness he had previously experienced.
While sharing these intimate experiences with the world, Elliot recognizes that his journey may differ greatly from that of other individuals in the trans community. He humbly acknowledges his privilege and emphasizes the need for representation.
“My experience as a trans person and the life I have, and the privilege I have, does not represent the reality of most trans lives,” Elliot emphasizes.
He understands the importance of seeing oneself represented and the necessity for marginalized communities to be visible. He highlights the challenges faced by trans individuals, including unemployment, homelessness and violence against trans women of color.
