‘Basic Trans Etiquette’ Goes Viral After Elliot Page Comes Out As Transgender
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The star Elliot Page made an announcement that’s rocking the internet. They shared on their social media pages that they’re transgender, talked about their new pronouns (he/they), and explained that, from now on, their name is Elliot. With other celebrities coming out in support of Elliot, others on the internet are raising the question of ‘basic trans etiquette.’
One of the people who created a handy guide on Twitter is Martin, a trans and queer creator from Canada. Their thread went viral with over a whopping 179k likes and more than 65k retweets in less than a day. Check out what Martin had to say below and, when you’re done, let us know what you think of Elliot coming out, dear Pandas. And scroll down for Bored Panda’s interview with Martin about their guidelines.
Elliot’s breakthrough role was playing the title character in 2007’s Juno. For this role, Elliot received nominations for the Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe, and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress while publicly identifying as female at the time.
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Elliot Page came out as transgender to huge support on the internet
Image credits: elliotpage
Image credits: elliotpage
Image credits: elliotpage
Martin makes all kinds of videos on YouTube, does cosplay on TikTok, and is “working on living in the now.”
Elliot, an Academy Award nominee and “Juno” and “The Umbrella Academy” star, spoke about trans issues and thanked their fans and followers for their support. Elliot also pointed out how great it is to be their real self despite the discrimination that trans people face in everyday life.
“I feel overwhelming gratitude for the incredible people who have supported me along this journey,” Elliot said. “I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self. I’ve been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community. Thank you for your courage.”
They weren’t shy about pointing to the biggest issues surrounding trans people: “The statistics are staggering. The discrimination towards trans people is rife, insidious and cruel, resulting in horrific consequences. In 2020 alone, it has been reported that at least 40 transgender people have been murdered, the majority of which were Black and Latinx trans women.”
Elliot continued: “I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer. And the more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive. To all trans people who deal with harassment, self-loathing, abuse, and the threat of violence every day: I see you, I love you, and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better.”
Twitter user Martin, who is trans, shared their trans etiquette guide
Image credits: unsolvedtwt
Image credits: unsolvedtwt
Image credits: unsolvedtwt
Image credits: unsolvedtwt
Image credits: unsolvedtwt
Martin told Bored Panda that it was jarring to learn that their thread went viral. “I saw that Elliot came out and I was super happy for him. And then I realized there would probably be a whole lot of people who just didn’t know the kind of stuff that I put in that thread. I wish it were common knowledge, and I hope there’s a day when things on that thread don’t need to be spelled out, but it unfortunately does,” they said.
“So I just figured making the thread would be an easy way to compile some basic stuff for allies who are trying to learn. I really didn’t expect it to blow up in the way it did, it got as far as Emma Portner’s Instagram story, which is wild. If I had known it was going to get that big, I maybe would have added just a quick guide on “he/they” pronouns. I use them myself, and there were a lot of people in the replies asking how to use them.”
Martin said that most of the replies they’ve seen about Elliot coming out online were positive. But not all of them. “There are some horribly transphobic replies just to my thread, people saying he was ‘playing make-belief’ and such. I went to look up Emma Portner’s Twitter to see if she had one, and all of the related tweets were asking intrusive questions on her sexuality. But I believe I’ve seen more positive than negative, which is a really good sign,” they explained.
Martin also shared a bit more about themselves. They’re studying in their first year of film school and they plan to put more effort into their YouTube channel when they get the time.
Others pitched in with their pointers
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Image credits: unsolvedtwt
Image credits: SSS_music
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Image credits: LionelParker16
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Image credits: pb609plus1
Remember how you sometimes see a pet and say, "What a cute boy!" and the owner says, "It's actually a girl." And you say to the pet, "Aren't you a cute girl? Yes, you are!" Boom. It's as easy as that.
A good friend of mine comes from a conservative part of Texas and could be expected to have conservative views. But he doesn't and stands up for all kinds of groups. Re trans folk, he recently said "I don't understand it, but I don't have to. I just have to not be an asshole and let people live their lives with respect." I thought that was a great thing to state on his FB page in front of his friends many of whom do act like assholes to anyone they don't understand. It really is this simple. Don't be an asshole. Show respect. Done.
Yes, I think it's right to always treat others how you wish to be treated. If I disagree you are a woman I won't waste my time talking to you or saying to anyone I feel you are on the spectrum of mental illness affliction. A lot of the media online shows trans people and their advocates being aggressive. I think this is the exception which does become sensationalized. But in many of those cases the trans advocates would get knocked the fxxx out as grown men in my face like that.
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I have a cousin that went through this. The religious family members think they disowned him and us that support him, but we really disowned them. The few times the last few years we all have been together the religious ones would pull him aside, call him a her, say god does not approve of them, and throw bible verses. WHO NEEDS THAT??? They helped me decide to ditch Christianity. One of the many reasons. Luckily my immediate family(mom, brother and all my kids and their significant others feel the same way I do about my cousin and the rude family members. Love wins!!
A lot of people do not practice true Christianity. According to the Bible, if Christians do not care for their families they are worse than non-believers. (1 Timothy 5:8) However, trying to convert someone isn't wrong and is in fact ordered. (Matthew 28) However, it must be done out of love. Otherwise is basically means nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)
Load More Replies...
Remember how you sometimes see a pet and say, "What a cute boy!" and the owner says, "It's actually a girl." And you say to the pet, "Aren't you a cute girl? Yes, you are!" Boom. It's as easy as that.
A good friend of mine comes from a conservative part of Texas and could be expected to have conservative views. But he doesn't and stands up for all kinds of groups. Re trans folk, he recently said "I don't understand it, but I don't have to. I just have to not be an asshole and let people live their lives with respect." I thought that was a great thing to state on his FB page in front of his friends many of whom do act like assholes to anyone they don't understand. It really is this simple. Don't be an asshole. Show respect. Done.
Yes, I think it's right to always treat others how you wish to be treated. If I disagree you are a woman I won't waste my time talking to you or saying to anyone I feel you are on the spectrum of mental illness affliction. A lot of the media online shows trans people and their advocates being aggressive. I think this is the exception which does become sensationalized. But in many of those cases the trans advocates would get knocked the fxxx out as grown men in my face like that.
Load More Replies... I have a cousin that went through this. The religious family members think they disowned him and us that support him, but we really disowned them. The few times the last few years we all have been together the religious ones would pull him aside, call him a her, say god does not approve of them, and throw bible verses. WHO NEEDS THAT??? They helped me decide to ditch Christianity. One of the many reasons. Luckily my immediate family(mom, brother and all my kids and their significant others feel the same way I do about my cousin and the rude family members. Love wins!!
A lot of people do not practice true Christianity. According to the Bible, if Christians do not care for their families they are worse than non-believers. (1 Timothy 5:8) However, trying to convert someone isn't wrong and is in fact ordered. (Matthew 28) However, it must be done out of love. Otherwise is basically means nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)
Load More Replies...
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