Elliot Page is encouraging people to learn more about the ongoing attack on trans people in the U.S. as rampant misinformation and dozens of anti-LGBTQ+ laws have been passed across the nation.
While appearing on The View on Friday, Page promoted some of his recent projects, including the forthcoming season 4 of Netflix’s Umbrella Academy. The hosts of the daytime talk show then congratulated Page on the success of his memoir, Pageboy, which details his journey as a trans man. Page said that the response from readers has been “very generous” and people have “in turn shared their own stories.”
The conversation then shifted to Republican lawmakers introducing hundreds of anti-LGBTQ+ bills, including some that ban gender-affirming healthcare. The interviewers asked how Page felt about the ongoing political climate and what advice he could give to someone who wants to be an ally.
“I feel incredibly sad about it and angry. And frightened,” Page said.
“I think of how most people, the vast majority of people don’t know, or think they don’t know a trans person, and so the amount of misinformation and just true flat-out lies about our lives — who we are, our healthcare — spread.”
Page also suggested that people “educate” themselves by listening to trans people, trans youth, and parents of trans youth to get a better understanding of the reality some are facing. The actor also mentioned how some parents have to “flee certain states” because they “are terrified that their children are going to be taken away from them when they’ve just been doing everything they can to make sure that their child can feel loved and thrive in their lives.”
Some states including Iowa, Mississippi, and Indiana have laws that prohibit healthcare professionals from being involved in providing gender-affirming care to a minor. In Mississippi, the same ban extends to parents.
“In terms of tangible actions, you can go to the ACLU’s website. You can look and track — they have an actual tracker —to see how these bills are spreading,” Page continued. “You can watch great documentaries like Disclosure or Changing the Game.” Page also mentioned several books people can read to learn more about the trans experience.
“The information is out there, all you have to do is look for it,” host Sunny Hostin added.
Elliot Page publically came out as transgender in December 2020 with a sweet and eloquent post on social media. “I feel lucky to be writing this,” Page wrote at the time. “To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life. I feel overwhelming gratitude for the incredible people who have supported me along this journey. I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self.”
Source link
