Elliot Page is making it clear that trans people are not going anywhere. Since publicly coming out as trans in 2020, the actor has continued to break ground for LGBTQ+ representation, using his platform to support queer storytelling and open doors for more trans and queer talent in Hollywood.
His latest project is Second Nature, a new documentary exploring gender and sexuality in the animal world.
Narrated by Page, the film uses humour and science to examine the many ways queerness appears across species, challenging long-held assumptions about what is “natural”.
“Nature is queer as f**k!” Page tells Out.
“Nature’s been pointed to justify so much cruelty and ignorance. We’ve been told stories that keep a very oppressive structure based on white supremacy and heteronormativity alive for so long. It maintains a very violent, oppressive status quo. This is such an incredible opportunity to expand the toxic expectations that are forced upon us.”
Although Second Nature is currently enjoying a successful festival run, the documentary took more than a decade to make.
Director Drew Denny said her experiences growing up in a volatile public school system in Texas helped form the foundation of the film.
“It was very hard to get this movie off the ground because people told me we didn’t need it,” Denny says.
“As the years passed, it felt more vital for me to make it. I knew I couldn’t give up. We’ve been subject to a global gaslighting. For the history of humanity, we’ve been convinced that we’re supposed to be one way and that’s just never been true. A lot of us carry that shame. Little things like this can make a big difference.”
The process of getting the film to audiences has not been easy, but its timing feels especially urgent.
As anti-LGBTQ+ legislation continues to spread across the United States, Page’s visibility and advocacy have become increasingly powerful.
By lending his voice to projects like Second Nature, the star is helping push back against the idea that queerness is unnatural, while uplifting stories rooted in science, complexity and liberation.
Page’s impact also extends beyond activism.
His next major blockbuster role will see him portray the deceptive Greek warrior Sinon in The Odyssey, alongside Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway and other major stars.
For many LGBTQ+ fans, seeing a leading trans man in a high-profile Hollywood epic marks another important step forward for representation.
“It’s been quite the journey to find myself in this position. I want to send my love to anyone who’s struggling right now,” Page says.
“Sometimes, I have days where I feel less brave and overwhelmed. When I have those moments, I think about all of the people who’ve come before and dealt with so much cruelty. They continued to move through the world and pushed to create a space where I could exist. I’d say that’s a great space to pull inspiration from.There’s absolutely nothing wrong with you!”
Through Second Nature, Page is not only narrating a documentary about queer life in the natural world. He is helping remind audiences that queerness has always existed — in humans, in animals and in the stories too often erased.
