Pageboy

I was a fan of the actress known as Ellen Page and cheered him on when he came out, first as gay and then as transgender.

It was obvious how much happier he was when he claimed his true identity, but the long and painful journey to get there, and the continuing stress and danger in his situation are what make Pageboy by Elliott Page so heart-wrenching and ultimately triumphant.

Elliot Page’s book is an engaging, worthwhile celebrity memoir. As a longtime fan of Page’s film performances and a trans person myself, I was so inspired by his public coming out and transition.

In his book, Page took me behind the scenes for an exclusive look at the unglamourous sides of Hollywood stardom—especially the ways the industry has historically been harmful to trans actors, many of whom, like Page, were encouraged to stay in the closet. I also appreciated that Page, as a celebrity, wrote the book himself without the help of ghostwriters.

One of my favorite memoirs due to the author’s unapologetic blatant honesty.

Through Pageboy, we learn about the mental and physical struggles Elliot endures, indications of being transgendered that manifested during childhood, familial psychological abuse, Hollywood stereotyping, and the love of his closest friends. This book took me beyond fandom. I now wish I was a contemporary of Page.

As a Queens kid, I would have enjoyed befriending him in Brooklyn. As someone who spent his summers on a northeast farm, and young-adult years in the wilds of Maine and beyond, providing comfort during his dark time in the… show more.

Elliot Page is a Canadian actor who was assigned female at birth and transitioned to male a few years ago.

I was very interested in getting a different perspective on a journey that was the opposite of mine and I expected Elliot’s book to give that to me. To some degree it did, insightful passages detailing his thoughts, feelings, and desires as he grew to be the man he wanted and needed to be.

The writing style is slightly odd, a lot of flashbacks and it might have worked better as a straightforward chronological narrative. By the end of the… show more.