Read Elliot Page's moving statement announcing he is transgender

Elliot Page, the Oscar-nominated star of Juno, announced that he’s transgender on Tuesday. In a lengthy, moving statement posted to Twitter, Page — who uses both he/him and they/them pronouns — opened up about the path to live as their true self.

“I feel lucky to be writing this. 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,” Page writes. “I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self.”

The statement wasn’t entirely celebratory, with Page portraying the harsh reality trans and non-binary people from bigoted attacks, a disproportionate rate of mental health crises, and politicians hellbent on criminalizing trans health care:

“My joy is real, but it is also fragile. The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now, I am also scared. I'm scared of the invasiveness, the hate, the 'jokes' and of violence. To be clear, I am not trying to dampen a moment that is joyous and one that I celebrate, but I want to address the full picture...The discrimination toward trans people is rife, insidious and cruel, resulting in horrific consequences,” Page wrote. “In 2020 alone it has been reported that at least 40 transgender people have been murdered, the majority of which are Black and Latinx trans women.”

Page is immediately one of the most visible and widely beloved trans entertainers in Hollywood. Besides his breakout role in teen pregnancy dramedy Juno, Page also starred in Inception, Whip It, X-Men: The Last Stand, and more. In recent years, he’s most prominently been a series regular on Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy. The streaming service’s social media account expressed support, leading to some debate unfolding in the replies over how the show should go about handling his character, Vanya, moving forward.

After documenting the struggles and dehumanizing obstacles faced by the trans community, Page gracefully resolves to forge a better reality. “The more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive,” Page writes. “To all the trans people who deal with harassment, self-loathing, abuse, and the threat of violence every day: I see you, I love you, and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better.”