You know how lots of us kind of roll our eyes at coming out stories, having seen them again and again and again and even in our holiday rom-coms. Well, the thing about that is they still matter. They still matter because LGBTQ+ people are still afraid to reveal who they really are to the world. And LGBTQ+ people are still afraid to reveal who they are to the world because the world continues to denigrate, deny and even destroy those identities. This is particularly true for trans and non-binary people. Look, oppression isn’t the Olympics. We clearly shouldn’t pit each other’s struggles against one another. But it’s plain to see there’s a crisis in the trans community, particularly the murder of trans women of color. We are only as good as how well be protect the most vulnerable among us.
So each new trans and non-binary person who comes out, well, that matters. It can make someone feel less lonely, less alone. That particularly matters when that person is very famous and very active and very talented to boot. Yesterday Elliot Page came out as trans/non-binary in posts on his social media. The star of “Juno,” “Whip It,” “Freeheld” and more now becomes one of the highest profile out trans/non-binary celebrities in the world. His clear, heartfelt and beautiful statement is a reminder that nothing is as powerful or as important as living your life truthfully. I kind of hate the phrase “live your truth,” because it feels so trite. And don’t get me started on the whole “journey” thing. But being your authentic self, well, it matters. And it will always matter. If more people were allowed to be authentically themselves, the world would be a much better place indeed.
So congratulations, Elliot. Thank you for sharing yourself with all of us. Since coming out in 2014, Elliot has been a tireless advocate and activist for LGBTQ+ causes and underrepresented voices – and I’m sure that will only grow stronger. Congratulations at being exactly who you are. Also, I’m sorry about not finishing the second season of “The Umbrella Academy.” I’ll finish, I promise.
