The photo is the first shirtless image Page has shared since revealing he underwent top surgery.
By Gina Vivinetto
Elliot Page continues to share milestones from his journey as a transgender man.
The «Umbrella Academy» star, 34, posted a shirtless photo Monday on Instagram to document his first time swimming in men’s swim trunks. The photo is the first shirtless image Page has shared since revealing he underwent top surgery, a procedure to remove one’s breast tissue.
In the photo, the Oscar-nominated «Juno» star grins from ear to ear while standing in a swimming pool wearing a dark-colored ball cap and red swim trunks.
«Trans bb’s first swim trunks,» Page captioned the shot, adding the hashtags #transjoy and #transisbeautiful.
The actor’s photo garnered more than a million likes in less than two hours. His famous friends popped into the comments of his post to share their support.
«Hot,» wrote pop star Miley Cyrus, who added a red heart emoji.
«look a dat handsome boi,» wrote «Broad City» star Ilana Glazer.
Many fans noted how happy Page looked in the new picture, including one who wrote, «LOOK AT THAT SMILE. WE LOVE YOU.»
Meanwhile, others thanked the star for being so candid about his transition.
One parent wrote, «Thank you for being a role model and inspiration for my 13-yr-old transgender son.»
Page came out as transgender in an emotional Instagram post in December. Since then, the actor has opened up about how it feels to “fully become” himself.
In an interview with Time magazine in March, Page said he felt «true excitement and deep gratitude to have made it to this point in my life.» However, he said, the elation came with some «fear and anxiety» about the way trans people are treated.
“What I was anticipating was a lot of support and love and a massive amount of hatred and transphobia,” he said. “That’s essentially what happened.”
Page said ever since he was a child, he «felt like a boy,» and could never «recognize» himself.
“For a long time I could not even look at a photo of myself,» said the actor.
Then in 2020, with a slowed-down work schedule and more time to himself because of the coronavirus pandemic, something shifted inside Page.
“I had a lot of time on my own to really focus on things that I think, in so many ways, unconsciously, I was avoiding,” said Page, who in January filed for divorce from his wife, Emma Portner. “I was finally able to embrace being transgender and letting myself fully become who I am.”
Page also talked to Oprah Winfrey in April about why he decided to be so public about his journey.
«For me, in this time we’re in right now and especially with this horrible backlash we’re seeing towards trans people, particularly trans youth, it really felt imperative to do so.”
When Winfrey asked what part of his transition had brought him the most joy, Page said, «It’s the little things … getting out of the shower and the towel’s around your waist and you’re looking at yourself in the mirror and you’re just like, ‘There I am.’
«And I’m not having the moment where I’m panicked,» he added.
As tears welled in his eyes, the actor continued.
«I’m not having all these little moments that used to be … just being in a T-shirt,» he said, adding, «It’s being able to touch my chest and feel comfortable in my body, probably for the first time.»
