Elliot Page is once again making headlines for comments challenging traditional views of sex and gender, arguing that the male-female dynamic is a “quaint little myth” and suggesting humans should take cues from examples of same-sex behavior and sex-changing animals found in nature.
“The Juno” and “The Odyssey” star made the remarks during an appearance on the left-wing program Democracy Now while promoting the documentary “Second Nature,” which explores sexuality and gender in the animal kingdom.
Page, who announced a transgender identity in 2020 after previously identifying as a lesbian, used the interview to criticize what they described as society’s “cis hetero patriarchal structure.”
‘A Quaint Little Myth’
During the interview, Page argued that conventional understandings of male and female are rooted more in culture than biology.
“In terms of looking at nature as if it’s some sort of cis hetero patriarchal structure is absurd,” Page said. “And that this, you know, gender binary that we’ve created is nothing but a quaint little myth.”
Page also claimed the documentary demonstrates that many commonly accepted ideas about gender and relationships are fundamentally incorrect.
“It really shows what we have been taught in school in regards to these structures — men being superior, women being inferior… it being this heterosexual existence is just completely false,” Page said.
Page insists evidence of same-sex behavior and sex-changing species in nature has been intentionally hidden from public understanding.
The Limits of the Comparison
Page’s argument relies on observations that certain animal species exhibit same-sex sexual behavior or undergo natural sex changes throughout their lives.
Clownfish, for example, can naturally change sex under specific biological conditions, while same-sex sexual behavior has been observed across numerous animal populations.
Critics, however, argue that these comparisons do not support the broader conclusions Page draws about human biology.
Unlike species that naturally change sex as part of their reproductive cycle, humans do not undergo such biological transformations. Medical gender transitions rely on hormone treatments and surgical procedures rather than naturally occurring developmental processes.
Critics also note that appealing to animal behavior as a moral standard can be inconsistent. The animal kingdom contains countless behaviors — including infanticide, forced mating, cannibalism, and abandonment of offspring — that few would argue humans should emulate simply because they occur in nature.
Page has become one of Hollywood’s most outspoken advocates for transgender activism since publicly announcing a gender transition in 2020.
Page has argued that society should move beyond viewing humanity through the lens of male and female, while critics maintain that biological sex remains an objective reality regardless of evolving cultural attitudes surrounding gender identity.
Casting Controversy
Page recently generated additional controversy after being cast as a Greek warrior in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming adaptation of “The Odyssey.”
Some critics questioned the decision to cast the 5’1″ actor in the physically demanding role, arguing it strains credibility given the source material’s depiction of ancient Greek warriors. Others defended the casting as consistent with modern Hollywood’s willingness to reinterpret classic works.
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