Elliot Page has opened up about what he does when someone gets his pronouns wrong.
The 37-year-old Umbrella Academy star came out as transgender in 2020 with a heartfelt Instagram post.
At the time, he wrote: “Hi friends, I’m trans. My pronouns are he/they. My name is Elliot.”
He added: “I love being trans. I love being queer. The more I embrace myself, the more I thrive.”
Since then, Page has spoken often about the struggles faced by trans people, from harassment to violence.
His new film Close To You dives into that reality. He plays Sam, returning home after transitioning.
In one scene, Sam corrects his mother after being misgendered. It’s a moment Page says felt very real.
‘I don’t care unless someone’s trying to hurt me’
Speaking to The Guardian, he admitted the slip was genuine but not something that rattles him personally.
“I get misgendered all the time,” he said. “I don’t care unless someone’s trying to hurt me.”
Page explained that in real life he wouldn’t stop filming or overreact. “It’s fine. Let’s move on.”
He stressed the importance of context. “I wasn’t me, I was Sam. And it worked perfectly for the story.”
Even Page’s own mom, Martha, slips up now and then. But he doesn’t see it as a problem.
“She’s pretty good. If she messes up, I say, ‘Don’t stress, Mom. It takes time.’”
This isn’t the first time Page has spoken about handling accidental misgendering with patience.
In a 2023 chat with Variety, he shared that intent matters more than the mistake itself.
“If people want to get it right, I don’t take it personally,” he explained.
He added that apologies are fine, but not everything needs to become a big dramatic moment.
“Let’s just move on. It doesn’t need to shift the whole energy of the conversation,” he said.
Page’s advice for allies who fear mistakes
The Canadian actor also gave advice to allies who fear making mistakes.
“Take the time to educate yourself,” Page suggested. “There are resources everywhere.”
He added that questions aren’t always bad, but timing and tone really matter.
Page has been open about the highs and lows of his transition journey over the past four years.
His latest movie, Close To You, is now showing in UK and US cinemas.
Featured image credit: elliotpage/instagram
