Ellen Page came out as gay woman at the Human Rights Campaign's THRIVE Conference for LGBT youth in Las Vegas, Nev.
The "X-Men: Days of Future Past" actress for the first time publicly and openly acknowledged her sexuality after years of avoiding the question. The actress gave a speech at the conference expressing how much pain hiding who she was caused her, but she felt the pressure to keep the truth a secret to fit into Hollywood's standards.
"Anyone who defies these so-called 'norms' becomes worthy of comment and scrutiny. The LGBT ommunity knows this all too well. Yet there is courage all around us. The football hero, Michael Sam. The actress, Laverne Cox. The musicians Tegan and Sara Quinn. The family that supports their daughter or son who has come out. And there is courage in this room. All of you," Page told the crowd.
"I'm inspired to be in this room because every single one of you is here for the same reason," she added. "You're here because you've adopted as a core motivation the simple fact that this world would be a whole lot better if we just made an effort to be less horrible to one another. If we took just 5 minutes to recognize each other's beauty, instead of attacking each other for our differences. That's not hard. It's really an easier and better way to live. And ultimately, it saves lives."
About five minutes into her speech, Page revealed to the crowd the real reason why she stood before them.
"I'm here today because I am gay," she told the crowd, who then erupted into a standing ovation for the actress. "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."
You can watch Ellen Page's full speech in the video below or read the transcript here.
