Elliot Page, the actor known for his roles in Umbrella Academy and Juno, who recently announced a divorce to their wife of three years, Emma Portner, was featured on the cover of Time Magazine this week.
Page, recently came out as transgender on a statement on Instagram, The 33 year old actor filed for divorce in Manhattan. The couple were married in January of 2018. They were separated in the summer of 2020.
In a statement on Instagram Page wrote, “Hi friends. I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot. I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life, I feel overwhelming gratitude for the incredible people who have supported me along this journey. I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self.”
Wife Portner, who is a choreographer and dancer, put out a statement around the same time, saying: “I am so proud of @elliotpage. Trans, queer and non-binary people are a gift to this world,” she wrote on Instagram. “I also ask for patience & privacy but that you join me in the fervent support of trans life every single day. Elliot’s existence is a gift in and of itself. Shine on sweet E. Love you so much.”
Around 1% of the population identifies as transgender, and many people come out later in life. It is very possible that coming out as trans can impact or cause a divorce. It’s normal for a trans person’s spouse to have a lot of emotions come up when their partner comes out — feelings may range from empathy and support, to anxiety or a sense of betrayal or confusion due to feeling “in the dark” about their spouses’ gender identity, or even a feeling of grief.
Trans identities can be weaponized in divorce court, especially if child custody is a concern. One spouse may try to argue that the trans parent is an unfit parent or a negative influence. This has no basis as being transgender is a gender identity, not a mental illness. Some lawyers may be unfamiliar with trans identities and thus thrust their own biases on trans parents’ abilities to be suitable parents. It is important to seek a lawyer who is informed and sensitive to trans related issues. More information relating to this can be found here: https://www.aclu.org/files/assets/aclu-tg_parenting_guide.pdf
At Mansur Law Group, we welcome all clients no matter how they identify. We have handled a number of LGBTQ and same sex family matters. If you identify as an LGBTQ person who is looking to hire an LGBTQ friendly divorce attorney, then please contact Mansur Law Group today. If you are ready to begin the divorce process and want to understand all your options then please call us at (978) 341-5040 for a consultation today.