Canadian actor Elliot Page discusses his experience with gender dysphoria and how it affected his career. He nearly quit acting after feeling pressure to conform to societal expectations following his Oscar-nominated role in Juno. Page describes his dysphoria as a constant feeling that something is wrong and a voice telling him to flee. During the pandemic, he had time to reflect and came out as a transgender man in 2020. His character in The Umbrella Academy also transitioned. Page has written a memoir, Pageboy, which explores the joys and perils of fame and the pressure to conform to the gender binary in Hollywood.
Elliot Page has released a memoir titled Pageboy, which chronicles his experiences with gender dysphoria and the pressures of conforming to Hollywood’s gender binary. In the memoir, Page describes the constant feeling of something being wrong and a voice telling him to flee, which he experienced for decades.
Page nearly quit show business after his Oscar-nominated turn in Juno because of the intense pressure he felt to dress and act in a certain way. However, he continued working in films like X-Men and Inception, but his dysphoria never faded. It wasn’t until the pandemic shut everything down that Page says he finally had the space to reflect and acknowledge his truth.
In 2020, Page came out as a transgender man and soon after, his character in The Umbrella Academy also transitioned. Pageboy explores the joys and perils of fame, including the pressure Page felt in Hollywood to conform to the gender binary.
“In many ways, there was some organic surge of words that did need to come out,” Page says of his memoir. “Also, in this specific time and climate just so rife with attacks against trans people, and having this strange life that’s ended up with this platform I have, it sort of felt like these two things collided in many ways and in the time felt right.”
Page’s memoir comes at a time when the rights of transgender people are being attacked and debated in various parts of the world. In the United States, several states have passed or are considering legislation that would limit the rights of transgender people, particularly in sports and healthcare.
Page’s decision to share his story and experiences with gender dysphoria is an important step in raising awareness and understanding of the challenges faced by transgender individuals. By sharing his struggles with dysphoria and the pressures of conforming to societal expectations, Page helps to break down the stigma and discrimination faced by transgender people.
Pageboy is a powerful and important memoir that sheds light on the experiences of transgender individuals and the challenges they face in a world that often fails to understand or accept them. It is a must-read for anyone seeking to better understand the experiences of transgender people and the importance of supporting and advocating for their rights.
