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Elliot Page details horrific transphobic assault threat after coming out at trans

6 June 2023, 16:57

Elliot Page calls out people’s obsession with the gender binary

By Katie Louise Smith

"Now when I’m in Los Angeles, I don’t feel comfortable like I used to going for walks."

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Ahead of the release of his new memoir, Pageboy, Elliot Page has opened up about a horrific transphobic verbal attack he experienced shortly after coming out as trans in 2020.

The Umbrella Academy actor has been busy promoting his upcoming book with interviews and photoshoots, and he's beginning to speak more about certain moments he addresses in his book – including one instance that took place last year, where he was verbally attacked by a man on the street.

In a new interview with The Los Angeles Times, Elliot speaks candidly about the terrifying experience, how it affected him and how it's affected how he feels being in Los Angeles.

Elliot Page opens up about awful transphobic verbal assault he experienced in 2022. Picture: Michael Buckner/WWD via Getty Images, @elliotpage via Instagram

Detailed in his book, Elliot recounts the moment in 2022 when a man threatened him while he was on his way to a convenience store in LA.

"I’m going to f—ing gay bash you, f----t," Elliot writes in the book about the man's transphobic abuse. A terrified Elliot then writes than the ran into the store where the employees ushered him inside. He then says the man shouted: "This is why I need a gun!"

"Now when I’m in Los Angeles, I don’t feel comfortable like I used to going for walks," Elliot told the LA Times.

Despite acknowledging that he has the privilege to stay in safer hotels and hire security, Elliot added: "Doesn’t mean it’s not traumatic, but I have resources that, in every instance that is difficult, protect and can shield me from these things."

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Elsewhere in his memoir, Elliot also revealed the threatening and concerning comments made to him by an A-List shortly after he came out as lesbian in 2014, before his transition.

In an excerpt shared by People Magazine, Elliot reveals that the actor (who he adds was an "acquaintance") told him: "You aren't gay. That doesn’t exist. You are just afraid of men. I’m going to f—k you to make you realize you aren’t gay."

Elliot then writes that they saw each other at the gym a few days later, where the actor said: "I don’t have a problem with gay people, I swear."

"I've had some version of that happen many times throughout my life. A lot of queer and trans people deal with it incessantly," he added. "These moments that we often like don't talk about or we're supposed to just brush off, when actually it's very awful. I put that story in the book because it’s about highlighting the reality, the s--t we deal with and what gets sent to us constantly, particularly in environments that are predominantly cis and heterosexual."

If you need support, Global’s Make Some Noise have put together a list of charities working within the LGBTQ+ community here.