Elliot Page says he never felt like a girl, and describes trying to pee standing up
Redeem now - Elliot Page discussed his memoir "Pageboy" in a recent interview with The Guardian.
- Page, 36, said that he tried to pee while standing up when he was four.
- Page also talked about coming out as gay and transitioning under the guise of fame in Hollywood.
Editor's note: This article mentions suicidal ideation
Elliot Page is on his truth tour to discuss how he saved his life and his quest for autonomy.
This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in.In an interview with the Guardian's Simon Hattenstone, published Saturday, Elliot Page shared more insight about his life following the June 6 release of his memoir "Pageboy."
"I'm nervous, but grateful for the opportunity to have written it," he told the outlet.
The book recounts Page's journey from a young age, where he felt uneasy in his body and explored ways to feel closer to his identity.
"I would press on my vagina, holding it, pinching and squeezing it, hoping I could aim," Page writes, according to the Guardian. The "Juno" star wrote that he never felt like a girl growing up and didn't have the language to express himself to his community.
Page said his early years included self-harm, experimenting with substances, an eating disorder, and suicidal ideation. He said he dove into acting as a means to transform the world around him.
"There was an element of escape. You're going to a place where it's your job to feel and connect as much as possible, and we live in a world that encourages us on some level not to," Page said. "I was feeling things through other characters without permitting myself to do so in my life."
While he was unable to find closure with his father and stepmother, Page told the outlet that writing "Pageboy" was "very beneficial for my relationship with my mom. It has allowed us to talk about things for the first time in a meaningful, sincere way."
Page also lets readers into his love life, much of which was marked by secret relationships.
As Insider's Julie Gerstein previously reported, Page revealed in his memoir that he dated "House of Cards" actress Kate Mara while she was in a relationship with her longtime boyfriend Max Minghella.
In the memoir, Page also accuses several Hollywood insiders of sexual assault and harassment. Page recounts a traumatic experience where he writes "one of the most famous actors in the world" threatened to rape him, and insisted that Page was not gay after the actor had publicly come out.
"I'm going to fuck you to make you realise you aren't gay. I'm going to lick your asshole. It is going to taste like lime. You're not gay," Page writes the actor said, according to the outlet.
"Power works in funny ways," Page writes. "He was, and still is, one of the most famous actors in the world."
If you or someone you know is experiencing depression or has had thoughts of harming themself or taking their own life, get help. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress, as well as best practices for professionals and resources to aid in prevention and crisis situations. Help is also available through the Crisis Text Line — just text "HOME" to 741741. The International Association for Suicide Prevention offers resources for those outside the US.
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