Actor Elliot Page slams Texas officials for calling trans health care ‘child abuse’
Oscar-nominee Elliot Page is stepping into the spotlight, slamming Texas officials for declaring gender-affirming health care, like puberty blockers and hormone therapy, as “child abuse.”
In a statement to Variety and E! News, “The Umbrella Academy” actor said he was “horrified” by the declarations made by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Feb. 21.
“I am horrified by the inhumane and downright dangerous declarations by the Texas Governor and Attorney General,” Page said in a statement. “Trans youth deserve gender-affirming care and to be able to live their true, authentic selves without fear and oppression. I stand with trans youth and their families.”
Paxton referred to gender-affirming procedures as a form of abuse in a news release.
“There is no doubt that these procedures are ‘abuse’ under Texas law, and thus must be halted,” Paxton said. “The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) has a responsibility to act accordingly. I’ll do everything I can to protect against those who take advantage of and harm young Texans.”
Abbott agreed with Paxton in a separate letter, which sparked outrage after its release on Feb. 22. He likewise instructed the DFPS to investigate all reports of such abuse.
By defining gender-affirming health treatment as abuse, many people like doctors and teachers would be required to report any instances to the state under mandatory reporting rules, district attorneys told USA Today.
Celebrities across the country were quick to call out the Texas officials and to point out that this was a dire situation that is putting transgender kids, and their families, at serious risk.
This isn’t the first time Page, who came out as transgender in 2020, has stood up against state officials who have limited health care for transgender children. When Arkansas passed a bill that banned gender-affirming care in 2021, Page joined the ACLU lawsuit to overturn state’s law and signed a 31-page brief filed in Jan. which “argues why gender-affirming care is so crucial, especially before and during adolescence,” The Wrap said.
“Our research found that gender-affirming hormone therapy has been linked to lower rates of depression and suicide risk among trans youth who wanted it,” Amit Paley, CEO of LGBTQ advocacy group The Trevor Project, said in a statement to ABC News. “The government should not be involved in personal decisions that force doctors and families to act against the medical community’s standards of care for transgender young people.”
Page, a prominent figure in the transgender community and an A-list celebrity in Hollywood, received an Academy Award nomination for his work in 2008’s coming-of-age drama “Juno”. He’s also received two BAFTA and Emmy nominations, IMDb reports.
This story was originally published February 25, 2022 at 2:08 PM with the headline "Actor Elliot Page slams Texas officials for calling trans health care ‘child abuse’."