Elliot Page Is Trans, So “Juno” Is Officially a Trans Film Now

Elliot Page has never been your average Hollywood star.

From the beginning of his career with break out roles in films like Hard Candy and Juno, Page lent his talents towards work with a bite. And after coming out as queer in 2014, he showed a commitment to playing queer characters in work such as My Days of Mercy, Freeheld, Tales of the City, and The Umbrella Academy. They even hosted a docuseries called Gaycation about the varied experiences of queer people around the world.

This morning Elliot Page came out as transgender when he released the following statement:

It’s always exciting to me when someone famous comes out as trans. It’s always exciting to me when anyone comes out as trans. But it feels especially exciting that someone who owned their queerness with such a commitment to community will now have the opportunity to do the same with their transness.

The first two news stories I saw when waking up this morning were Elliot Page’s coming out and the court decision in the UK that sets a precedent banning trans people under 16 from obtaining puberty blockers without court permission. We are living in a particularly fraught moment where increased visibility is fighting with increased oppression, and I’m so happy that Elliot Page is not only out for himself but for all the trans people still being told we are wrong. It’s clear from Elliot’s statement that he understands the responsibility his platform provides and I look forward to watching him bring the same talent and commitment to principles he’s shown throughout his public life.

And, look, we collectively decided that Whip It was a queer film so now can we decide that that Juno is a trans film?? I’m joking (sort of) but I can’t wait for the many actually trans films we’ll see from them in the decades to come!

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Drew Burnett Gregory

Drew is a Brooklyn-based writer, filmmaker, and theatremaker. She is a Senior Editor at Autostraddle with a focus in film and television, sex and dating, and politics. Her writing can also be found at Bright Wall/Dark Room, Cosmopolitan UK, Refinery29, Into, them, and Knock LA. She was a 2022 Outfest Screenwriting Lab Notable Writer and a 2023 Lambda Literary Screenwriting Fellow. She is currently working on a million film and TV projects mostly about queer trans women. Find her on Twitter and Instagram.

Drew Burnett has written 516 articles for us.

28 Comments

  8. I’ve spent the weekend watching the cesspit of transphobia that is my country orchestrate a pile on against a 16 year old kid for daring to be trans. I am so happy there is one more positive trans role model for young folk. Wish Elliot the absolute best and look forward to seeing what they do next!

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  9. I am glad he felt comfortable enough to come out and share his true self with us.
    I am also hopeful we will see as much authentic representation of transness in the future as he gave us of queerness.

    Congratulations Elliot on being yourself.

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  10. I was eagerly refreshing waiting for the autostraddle article- my whole trans friend group has been abuzz all morning! I’m so happy elliot has decided to share this with his audience/fans.

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  11. Juno has always felt like a queer movie to me, so this feels right! Super happy for Elliot though! On instagram the official Umbrella Academy account posted a really nice comment on the post, which makes me excited to see what happens with the character of Vanya moving forward!

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  12. Elliott coming out as queer back in 2014 was really important to me and a big reason I was able to accept myself. I’m so excited that he has stayed true to himself and will continue to inspire others and help them accept themselves as well.

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  19. I’m kind of surprised at how muted my own reaction has been to this news? I mean, I’m happy for Elliot, coming out is never easy, especially as such a public figure, and I think it’s particularly great for trans mascs, who have always been kind of invisible in our society.

    But,as a trans woman (and maybe I’m just being pessimistic) I have a hard time believing that his coming out will significantly improve things, especially for transfeminine people. Transmisogyny is a horrifically powerful force, and, well, Laverne Cox–probably the biggest transfem star out there right now–was assaulted earlier this weekend, so I don’t have much hope for us. Celebrity doesn’t protect you.

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    • Of course no one famous person coming out changes things in any significant way. And I think we always have to be cautious when it comes to visibility and elevating a select few trans people over the continued progress of us all. BUT I do think when someone comes out with a huge platform, and especially someone who has shown themself to be thoughtful about said platform, it’s a net good and can help to change things in larger ways.

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  20. WWWWHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE THIS NEWS IS PUTTING ME IN SUCH A GOOD MOOD! Thank you for your sensitive, eloquent and celebratory response Drew! Oof I am so happy right now! :-))) <3<3<3

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  21. I’m so happy for Elliot! He has always been so thoughtful with using his voice and his platform to advocate for marginalized folks, and now that will continue in a new and even more important way! <3

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  22. Every time he has announced a coming out, he’s done it with so much honesty and awareness. I cannot get enough of his writing voice. If he chooses to write a book I would snap it up pronto.

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