ET Canada

Ellen Page Comes Out: ‘I Am Tired Of Lying By Omission’

By ETCanada.com Staff.

Canadian actress Ellen Page came out as a gay woman this week while addressing attendees of the Human Rights Campaign’s THRIVE conference benefiting LGBTQ youth.

“I’m here today because I am gay,” she said during her speech praising the work done by the organization to help and mentor youth. “And because maybe I can make a difference. To help others have an easier and more hopeful time. Regardless, for me, I feel a personal obligation and a social responsibility.”

Ellen, who has starred in both indie and blockbuster movies like Juno and Inception, went on to praise examples of “courage all around us” naming footballer Michael Sam (who recently announced he was gay), Orange is the New Black star Laverne Cox, and musicians (and fellow Canadians) Tegan and Sara Quinn.

“I am tired of hiding and I am tired of lying by omission,”; she said. “I suffered for years because I was scared to be out. My spirit suffered, my mental health suffered and my relationships suffered. And I’m standing here today, with all of you, on the other side of all that pain.”;

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Watch Ellen’s speech in the video below.

Celebrities showed their support for Ellen throughout the day via Twitter:

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