The actor came out as transgender in 2020 in a moving Instagram post, and since opened up about his journey since transitioning
Elliot Page revealed how he deals with people accidentally misgendering him.
Page came out as trans in 2020 and has since opened up about his transition journey, including the tricky topic of being misgendered.
The star has been open about transitioning, proudly posting pictures showing his top surgery scars on social media and frequently drawing attention to the challenges trans people face.
Being accidentally misgendered can be a difficult moment for a trans or non-binary person, but Page pointed out that sometimes it can become more awkward when someone overreacts to their own honest mistake.
Speaking to Variety in 2023, he said: “In those situations, I know the intent of people close to me in my life who are wanting to get it right. If someone misgenders me, I don’t take it personally.”
He added: “When someone does go to apologize, it’s great. But let’s move on to the next moment in our interaction.
“Let’s move on before it turns into a bigger thing and becomes about the person who did the misgendering and turns into this whole other energy.”
In terms of how people can support their trans relatives, friends, or colleagues, Page stressed it’s all about education and being sensitive.
Elliot Page opened up about being accidentally misgendered (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
He said: “There are a lot of resources out there to learn more about trans people and the reality of our experiences. A question isn’t always a negative thing, but there’s a time and place and context and tone.”
Ultimately, Page’s words show that the world would be a much better place if the biggest problem trans people faced was being accidentally misgendered.
Trans people are disproportionately vulnerable to homelessness, struggling to hold down a job, and mental health problems.
For some trans people, this is also exacerbated by intersectional factors such as racism, disability, and class.
Some health organisations, for example in the UK, have guidance with suggests people can view transitioning as a way to relieve symptoms of mental health conditions like depression.
Page came out as trans in 2020 (Rich Fury/VF22/Getty Images for Vanity Fair)
As a result they can try to ‘treat’ this instead of providing gender affirming care.
Gender affirming surgeries have one of the lowest regret rates of any surgery, lower than routine procedures such as hip replacements.
Trans people who have access to gender affirming care overwhelmingly report improvements in their mental health, even despite the prejudice and danger transitioning can expose someone to.
The point here is – if you do accidentally misgender a trans or non-binary person, you know just apologise and move on. Chances are they have bigger things to worry about.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the LGBT national hotline at 888-843-4564, available Monday to Friday 4pm-12am ET and 12pm-5pm ET on Saturdays.
Featured Image Credit: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images / Cindy Ord/Getty Images
