Actress and activist Ellen Page has spoken to Out magazine about the drive she feels to use her privilege to help the wider LGBTIQ+ community.
Page, who is set to star in the Netflix reboot of Armistead Maupin's iconic Tales of the City, revealed to the publication that she was motivated to be more proactive in her activism by filming travel documentary series Gaycation, which saw her and a friend explore marginalised queer communities around the world.
"With the privilege and the platform I have, I absolutely have to use it, particularly after making a show like Gaycation, and traveling around the world, and quite frankly seeing so much joy and beauty and strength and courage, of course, but also so much trauma," she said.
"It just feels crucial to me, it feels absolutely crucial because it is life or death, especially right now when trans life is being brutally attacked, just absolute cruelty."
She added: "Those of us with privilege have to step up, we have to step up."
Reflecting on the importance of shows including Tales of the City, Page said it was vital to share the history of LGBTIQ+ people with new generations.
"It's important to tell stories about our history," she said.
"It's also still crucial to have these stories that are queer characters, you know, living their lives and having relationships and having the struggles and obstacles that people have... So yeah, I feel so happy that Tales offers that and allows people to see a future where they can live their truth and feel happy about who they are."
Oh, and when Out asked Page whether her breakout character from Juno might have ended up as a lesbian?
"Yeah. Yes," Page replied.
"So many of my characters, quite frankly."
