Elliot Page Said He “Struggled to Function” Before Transition: “It was hard for me to literally sit down”

The Umbrella Academy actor Elliot Page is opening up more about life before his transition.

In an interview with Jay Shetty on the podcast On Purpose, Page spoke about gender euphoria and the struggles he went through before coming out as transgender.

“For significant periods of my life, I struggled to function on a pretty basic level, it was hard for me to literally sit down, it was hard for me to be productive, for me to present at all,” Page told Shetty. “I couldn’t see the future because I didn’t know how much longer I would last feeling that way.”

In a later part of the interview, Page passionately discussed the liberating experience of embracing his true, authentic self.

“It’s actually hard to describe when it’s literally now every aspect in every moment of my life, you know, like when people go, ‘Oh, what was your last incident of gender euphoria?’ And I’m like, ‘Oh, this morning when I was drinking coffee in silence and just being able to sit and have my coffee,’” he said. “Doing things in the past that I did enjoy, but a part of me wasn’t there so, it could be going to meet some friends in the park and I’m really able to just be in the park with them.”

Related | ‘Drag Race’ Star Jade Jolie Proudly Comes Out as Trans

Trans Joy

Since coming out as trans in 2020, Page has shared important moments in his journey with his Instagram followers, including his first shirtless photo.

“It’s the little things … getting out of the shower, and the towel’s around your waist, and you’re looking at yourself in the mirror, and you’re just like, ‘There I am.’ And I’m not having the moment where I’m panicked,” he said in an interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Following his own coming out, Page’s character in the popular Netflix series The Umbrella Academy also came out as trans. “Meet Viktor Hargreeves,” Netflix posted online. “Welcome to the family, Viktor — we’re so happy you’re here.”

In addition to his acting career, the actor has spearheaded a poignant trans-focused documentary and shared his life journey in the compelling memoir, Pageboy.

We love you, Elliot!

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