42 votes

Oscar-nominated Umbrella Academy star Elliot Page announces he is transgender

@Elliot Page:
pic.twitter.com/kwti60bZLw

18 comments

  1. [4]
    Gaywallet
    (edited )
    Link
    I've seen a lot of conversation about this within queer spheres already, and something I want to point out here because it's a question often asked, is how to refer to transgender people in the...

    I've seen a lot of conversation about this within queer spheres already, and something I want to point out here because it's a question often asked, is how to refer to transgender people in the historical context.

    As we see in the article linked, the safest thing to do is to refer to the person in the present tense, as that will capture their current identity.

    However, some transgender individuals are okay with using different pronouns when referring to them in the past tense, but this necessitates a conversation with them first to understand what they are comfortable with. They may wish for this information to be accompanied by an explanation of their current identity or only to be divulged in circumstances that happened more than a certain amount of time ago or when involving information in which gender is important. I would not suggest reaching out to someone to have this conversation unless you are good friends with them - keep in mind that transgender people are often bombarded with questions about their identity because of their rarity and the fact that most people do not choose to educate themselves deeply in transgender issues on their own.

    Another strategy that you can take, if you're worried no one will know who 'Elliot Page' is, would be to refer to something they did. So one might say "the actor who played Vanya in Umbrella Academy came out as transgender" when sharing this news to family/friends and wishing to avoid deadnaming or using the wrong pronouns.

    18 votes
    1. [3]
      cfabbro
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      Speaking of. Kinda cool to see Wikipedia and IMDB have already updated too: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliot_Page https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0680983/ And the way IMDB is handling previous...

      Speaking of. Kinda cool to see Wikipedia and IMDB have already updated too:
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliot_Page
      https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0680983/

      And the way IMDB is handling previous credits is interesting too; they all have "(as Ellen Page)" next to them. I wonder what the SAG rules are for this, if any.

      Edit: An interesting article on the IMDB policy change:
      https://www.indiewire.com/2019/04/imdb-harms-transgender-actor-actress-birth-name-lgbt-1202055599/

      Looks like it took a fair amount of pressure from GLAAD and SAG (and a lawsuit?) to force IMDB to get with the times. :/

      12 votes
      1. [2]
        Gaywallet
        Link Parent
        Oh wow never seen it referred to like this, I really like this!! I think I might start updating my own credits on work documents that way 😂

        "(as Ellen Page)"

        Oh wow never seen it referred to like this, I really like this!! I think I might start updating my own credits on work documents that way 😂

        10 votes
        1. [2]
          Comment deleted by author
          Link Parent
          1. cfabbro
            Link Parent

            (as Snoop Dogg)
            (as Snoop Doggy Dogg)
            (as Snoop Lion)
            (as Snoop Dogg AKA Snoop Lion)
            (as Calvin Cordazor Broadus, Calvin Broadus, Calvin "Snoop Doggy Dogg" Broadus)

            12 votes
  2. kfwyre
    (edited )
    Link
    Coming out is a moment of profound, newfound freedom. It's a moment where someone chooses to speak from a conviction and a courage that have long been building up inside of them. It is where they...

    Coming out is a moment of profound, newfound freedom. It's a moment where someone chooses to speak from a conviction and a courage that have long been building up inside of them. It is where they find the words and the voice to finally speak to something that, up until then, only knew life through silence, or whispers.

    I will never not celebrate a coming out, because I find that moment so powerful, so compelling, so richly human that it stirs something deep inside of me, every single time.

    I'm very happy that Elliot has found this freedom, and I can't help but be inspired by the knowledge that his example will undoubtedly help many others to find theirs as well.

    11 votes
  3. [5]
    JXM
    Link
    I have a lot of respect for him. I remember watching Hard Candy (2005) and being blown away by his performance. I've followed his career since then and been blown away by his work. Note: I've...

    I have a lot of respect for him. I remember watching Hard Candy (2005) and being blown away by his performance. I've followed his career since then and been blown away by his work.

    Note: I've tried to use the correct pronouns here, and I think I understood the other top level comments, but if I'm wrong, others should feel free to correct me.

    9 votes
    1. [4]
      spit-evil-olive-tips
      Link Parent
      Yeah, Hard Candy is one of my favorites. I think I may rewatch it tonight. And you're all good as far as the pronouns go. He said in that twitter post his pronouns are he/they, so either one is...

      Yeah, Hard Candy is one of my favorites. I think I may rewatch it tonight.

      And you're all good as far as the pronouns go. He said in that twitter post his pronouns are he/they, so either one is totally fine. Main thing to avoid when talking about an announcement like this is deadnaming.

      You might also find this twitter thread useful for some more etiquette for talking about trans people.

      2 votes
      1. [3]
        JXM
        Link Parent
        Thank you for that thread. It was genuinely helpful. I've really struggled to understand when to use which names. It's honestly the first time I've ever felt like an old, out of touch person (I'm...

        Thank you for that thread. It was genuinely helpful.

        I've really struggled to understand when to use which names. It's honestly the first time I've ever felt like an old, out of touch person (I'm only in my 30s, this ins't supposed to happen yet!). This was a good distillation of do's and don'ts.

        I was wondering how this might work for his filmography, since all of his previous roles will be credited with his dead name. Although I guess if The Rock can manage a mid-career name change to Dwayne Johnson, we can figure something out for this.

        6 votes
        1. [2]
          spit-evil-olive-tips
          Link Parent
          As a general rule, you can never go wrong using someone's current name or pronouns, even if the event you're discussing happened in the past. eg, "Elliot Page was born in Canada in 1987. His...

          As a general rule, you can never go wrong using someone's current name or pronouns, even if the event you're discussing happened in the past. eg, "Elliot Page was born in Canada in 1987. His parents were..."

          There's also established precedent for this in filmographies - for example, if you look at the IMDB page for Juno, they credit Darla Fay with playing the character Bleeker's Mom, with a note "(as Darla Vandenbossche)". That's not someone who's transgender, that's just someone who changed her last name to match her husband's. They likewise note that Kaaren de Zilva was credited as Kaaren De Zilva (the only difference being the capitalized D). And Elliot Page is credited with playing Juno MacGuff (as Ellen Page).

          3 votes
          1. JXM
            Link Parent
            I was actually more thinking about pieces written about the movies that someone stars in using their dead name (i.e., someone wrote a piece 15 years ago about the piece and used the name Ellen...

            I was actually more thinking about pieces written about the movies that someone stars in using their dead name (i.e., someone wrote a piece 15 years ago about the piece and used the name Ellen Page in their article). Those types of things will most likely never be updated.

            2 votes
  4. cfabbro
    Link
    Nice tweet related to this from PM Justin Trudeau: https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1333976043808550914

    Nice tweet related to this from PM Justin Trudeau:
    https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1333976043808550914

    Thank you, Elliot, for sharing these words and speaking your truth. Your bravery and strength are inspiring, and your authenticity and vulnerability will mean so much to so many. Sophie and I wish you the very best, and we send you - and the trans community - all our support.

    7 votes
  5. [3]
    SunSpotter
    Link
    I do wonder how this will affect his casting in Umbrella Academy. Because I can't imagine that were I in his position, I'd want to go back to portraying a woman. Obviously we the public are in no...

    I do wonder how this will affect his casting in Umbrella Academy. Because I can't imagine that were I in his position, I'd want to go back to portraying a woman. Obviously we the public are in no position to demand he perform any particular way, but the contract he signed probably can.

    I honestly wouldn't mind if Vanya the character came out as trans and they just dealt with it like that, clean and simple. But somehow I doubt the studio will go for such a direct approach, so I'm just hoping they don't kill off his role entirely. Wish him the best of luck and hope they're able to figure something out that's acceptable to both parties, but it's going to be interesting seeing where things go from here.

    5 votes
    1. [2]
      Comment deleted by author
      Link Parent
      1. cfabbro
        Link Parent
        Huh... TIL that Umbrella Academy was written by Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance. Neat!

        Huh... TIL that Umbrella Academy was written by Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance. Neat!

        4 votes
    2. HotPants
      Link Parent
      The new Umbrella Academy is out now, and his character transitions in the show as well, in a very low key manner.

      The new Umbrella Academy is out now, and his character transitions in the show as well, in a very low key manner.

      5 votes
  6. [3]
    wycy
    Link
    Anyone have insight into why some people choose pronouns like "he/they"? Why not "he/him" or "their/they"? As someone not well-versed in these issues, I'm confused why one would pick one gendered...

    Anyone have insight into why some people choose pronouns like "he/they"? Why not "he/him" or "their/they"? As someone not well-versed in these issues, I'm confused why one would pick one gendered and one neutral pronoun.

    4 votes
    1. unknown user
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      @tindall covered the "1 and 1" clarification, but here are some extra reasons why someone might choose to use both <he/him/his> and <they/them/theirs> as opposed to just one. Someone is...
      • Exemplary

      @tindall covered the "1 and 1" clarification, but here are some extra reasons why someone might choose to use both <he/him/his> and <they/them/theirs> as opposed to just one.

      • Someone is uncertain/questioning, and wants to try out one or both at the same time to see how they feel about being referred to in certain ways (to help them learn more about their own feelings).
      • Someone actively likes both (e.g. if they have both masculine feelings and nonbinary feelings), and so would enjoy hearing a mix rather than be referred to using just one.
      • Someone knows that they absolutely do not identify with femininity and/or as a woman, and uses this combo of pronouns as more of an "anything but she/her" statement of defiance.
      • Someone feels indifferent about the whole pronoun thing, and would rather not make an active choice at all, so they offset the decision to others.
      • Someone is AMAB, and because they're used to "he" by default, it's familiar and natural (i.e. not necessarily uncomfortable). But, that person also wants to express that they're not cis, so they add "they".
      15 votes
    2. [2]
      Comment deleted by author
      Link Parent
      1. wycy
        Link Parent
        Ahh ok that makes sense. I see now that the Wikipedia article does make use of all/most of those pronouns.

        Ahh ok that makes sense. I see now that the Wikipedia article does make use of all/most of those pronouns.

        4 votes
  7. spit-evil-olive-tips
    Link
    Linked directly to his twitter announcement, but took the headline from this Variety article

    Linked directly to his twitter announcement, but took the headline from this Variety article

    3 votes