Video: Canadian actor Ellen Page comes out as lesbian

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      Sooner or later, it won't be news when a celebrity comes out as gay or lesbian.

      But Halifax-born actor Ellen Page's declaration that she's gay has captured headlines across North America.

      It came as the LGBT community still continues facing persecution in many parts of the world.

      One of those places is Russia, which is hosting the Winter Olympics.

      Page, 26, made her announcement at the Time to THRIVE conference in Las Vegas.

      She said she was coming out because she wants to "help others have an easier and more hopeful time".

      Page also said she's "tired of lying by omission".

      She's best known for her role in the 2007 film Juno, which earned her Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.

      Comments

      6 Comments

      Juan Carlos

      Feb 15, 2014 at 2:06pm

      I can appreciate how horrifying this might be for some rednecks in Arkansas... but is it worthy of all the hoopla, especially around here? Who cares? And I mean that in all sincerity... are there any intelligent, enlightened people even left for whom this is a big deal? She's gay, she's left handed, she's got green eyes, she's got black hair. Whatever. Who cares? In fact, isn't making "a big deal" out of it actually detrimental to "the cause"...? If the argument is that being gay is a normal part of society, it's been around forever, what's the big deal, we're all equal, yadda yadda... then making a big deal out of it actually, once again, brings to light the fact that "maybe it isn't".

      I get it, some soccer player or football player coming out into a culture that's infused with MANLINESS and it's TABOO and all that shit. Fine, make an issue out of it.

      In this case it's an artist, a field full of gay people where, again, nobody really cares.

      It does sadden me in this case the Ellen Page waited this long. That's more an indication of the culture she grew up in and surrounded herself with than the reality of what's out there. How many people that matter are genuinely upset about her big announcement? I'd guess about zero.

      Maybe I'm too used to living in Canada.

      Tommy

      Feb 16, 2014 at 9:03am

      Now it's official. The paper has been signed & everything. I now pronounce you - officially gay.

      Vanessa

      Feb 16, 2014 at 2:04pm

      Juan it's sad that you didn't seem to watch the video or read a transcript of her speech because you're someone who could have learned from it.

      I was going to explain how her announcing that she's gay might help other gay people who face discrimination but I read your comment again and noticed the homophobic undertone and it was quite saddening.

      I'll just try explain something to you: she bleeds the same blood straight people do, yet some people hate her because she is attracted to women, which comes as naturally to her as heterosexuality comes to straight people, or liking laser pointers comes to cats.

      It's not about making a "big deal"

      Feb 16, 2014 at 3:15pm

      It's about visibility. Maybe sometime down the road, in the distant future, there won't have to be these big announcements, but that's not the reality we live in right now (regardless of the field or profession). She's still the amazing Ellen Page, except now we just know more about the real her. There are many artists, of many shades of the rainbow, who are not out....yet. The arts aren't always as liberal as we like to think.

      Juan Carlos

      Feb 16, 2014 at 8:06pm

      @Vanessa -- any homophobic undertone is purely unintentional. Allow me to clarify... first of all, you're right, I didn't watch the video.

      Second of all, I'm gay -- not a likely candidate for homophobia.

      Third, and most importantly, as I mentioned in my last sentence, perhaps I'm one of the few that would hope this issue goes away in this context. I moved to Vancouver specifically for this reason, and it's going really well. I'm very much the exception in that I have (and have always had) a very supportive family and circle of friends. So I'm one of the few that dislikes, yet continues to be, made a victim.

      I'm not a victim. I'm just a guy living his life, wanting to be left alone (which I most certainly am around here, though, again, we're in the best city of the best country when it comes to being gay). I frankly don't like the hoopla that's made about coming out as gay. That we have institutions like the NFL or FIFA or wherever that have a ways to go, I get it. But around here? Leave me alone. I'm no less deserving of applause for bring gay than you are for having blue eyes.

      Get it?

      Kim

      Feb 17, 2014 at 11:51am

      These homeless LGBT statistics are why it's still a big deal.
      http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/lgbtq.html

      As an out person in Vancouver, I fully realize how lucky we are to live in such an open and accepting city. As someone from rural northern BC, I also realize that not everywhere is like that. Like many people, I lost friends and family when I came out, and that sucks. I'm lucky that I had people I could turn to, because not everyone has that option.
      Yes, a big deal is made every time someone famous comes out as LGBTQ. Yes, it's happening more and more which makes it seem like we're being over-saturated with it. But each and every famous person that comes out is someone else for queer youth to relate to, for someone to make them feel not so alone. Until every country is safe for queer people, this will continue to be a big deal, and I, for one, support the hoopla.
      Brava to Ellen!