Arts & Entertainment
Elliot Page comes out as transgender, non-binary
Activists applauded ‘The Umbrella Academy’ star
Oscar-nominated actor and star of Netflix’s “The Umbrella Academy” Elliot Page, came out Tuesday as transgender and non-binary in a message posted to his social media accounts.
“I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer,” he said in the message. “And the more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive. To all the trans people who deal with harassment, self-loathing, abuse and the threat of violence every day: I see you, I love you and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better.”
Page became a breakout star with his role in “Juno” where he played a teenager dealing with an unplanned pregnancy. He earned nominations for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award and others.
In his coming out message, Page mentioned his fear at being discriminated against because of his gender identity.
“The statistics are staggering. The discrimination towards trans people is rife, insidious, and cruel, resulting in horrific consequences,” he said. “To the political leaders who work to criminalize trans health care and deny our rights to exist and to all those with a massive platform who continue to spew hostility towards the trans community: You have blood on your hands.”
Before coming out as trans, Page was one of the most prominent out gay actors in Hollywood. By coming out as trans, he joins a small yet slowly growing list of openly gender non-conforming creators in the business.
Page has also held roles in Christopher Nolan’s “Inception,” “Whip It!” and Sony’s reboot of “Flatliners.” He previously produced and starred in movies “Tallulah” and “Freeheld,” and directed “There’s Something in The Water,” a documentary on environmental racism in Canada.
“Elliot Page has given us fantastic characters on-screen, and has been an outspoken advocate for all LGBTQ people,” GLAAD Director of Transgender Media Nick Adams said in a statement. “He will now be an inspiration to countless trans and non-binary people. All transgender people deserve the chance to be ourselves and to be accepted for who we are. We celebrate the remarkable Elliot Page today.”
Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David also congratulated Page.
“Thank you for sharing your truth with us, and for shining a bright light on the challenges too many in our community face,” tweeted David. “We are proud of you, and we love you. And we will never stop fighting alongside you for change.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in his own tweet thanked Elliot “for sharing these words and speaking your truth.”
“Your bravery and strength are inspiring, and your authenticity and vulnerability will mean so much to so many,” said Trudeau. “Sophie and I wish you the very best, and we send you — and the trans community — all our support.”
Page was born and raised in Nova Scotia.
— Elliot Page (@TheElliotPage) December 1, 2020
The fourth annual Equality Prince William Pride was held at the Harris Pavilion in Manassas, Va. on Saturday, May 17.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
The Washington Blade held its 18th annual Summer Kickoff Party in Rehoboth Beach, Del., on Friday, May 16. Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer spoke along with State Sen. Russ Huxtable, CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Kim Leisey, Blade Editor Kevin Naff, and Clear Space Theatre Managing Director Joe Gfaller. The event raises funds for the Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which was awarded to AU student Abigail Hatting.
(Washington Blade photos by Daniel Truitt)
In some fowl fiction foreshadowing, a gay-owned chicken joint has come home to roost on U Street, taking a page from the chicken window subplot on the HBO show “Looking.”
Last Friday, Lucky Pollo – much more than just a takeout window – stretched its wings atop the busy nightlife corner of 14th and U Streets NW.
Behind the poultry production place is Zach Renovátes, a D.C.-based nightlife operator and managing partner of LGBTQ venues Bunker and District Eagle, as well as the LGBTQ event production company KINETIC Presents.
Renovátes opened Bunker in February 2023 and District Eagle in January of this year. Lucky Pollo is the third in his growing gay empire, though this time there are noshes.
“Lucky Pollo was meant to be fun and a little provocative,” Renovátes said.
Based around its Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken, Lucky Pollo is a quick-service restaurant boasting a small menu of poultry and sides. Renovátes says that the dishes are deeply rooted in Peruvian culinary tradition, “a playful experience alongside seriously good food.”
Lucky Pollo’s signature chicken is steeped in a dozen-plus-spice marinade for 24 hours. The meat is then slow-roasted, rotisserie-style, over oak-wood charcoal. Chicken options include quarter, half, and whole.
Helming the kitchen at Lucky Pollo is Chef Luis Herrera, who brings Peruvian recipes passed down through three generations, including his grandmother Laura’s original creations.
Beyond the full bird, the menu features Peruvian-inspired sides like yuca fries (“I personally love these,” says Renovátes) and fried plantains, as well as comfort classics such as mac and cheese and mashed potatoes, and bowls, wraps, and salads. Herrera oversees development of the multiple sauces (including staff favorite, the “secret green sauce”), crafted in-house using traditional Peruvian ingredients.
Lucky Pollo, in its streetside perch, is an independent concept from District Eagle, open to the public and staying open late (3 a.m. on weekends) to serve both nightlife guests and the wider U Street crowd hungry for late-night bites. However, just beyond the kitchen, tucked in the back lies a vintage 1950s candy machine—labeled “Out of Order,” which serves as the door leading to subterranean District Eagle.
Renovátes notes that when District Eagle is open, security staff will maintain a strict two-line policy, ensuring that those seeking meat to eat will not get entwined with those looking to gain access to District Eagle.
Lucky Pollo unites the need for sustenance with the idea of a bit of fortune, given its motto, “Get Lucky” and the whimsical brand mascot: a leather-booted chicken perched on a horseshoe. Renovátes and his District Eagle business partner had always been interested in opening a restaurant, and the Lucky Pollo space was indeed lucky: It already came with a functional kitchen. Plus, he says, the nearby fast-casual places around 14th and U streets “don’t offer a lot of quality options,” so opening the chicken spot “was a no-brainer.”
The space, designed by NYC creative Jasin Cadic, blends theatrical street-art-style vibes with Keith Haring-inspired wall prints, neon signs, and ceiling-hung chicken figurines —”some edgy, some sweet,” says Renovátes —creating an immersive, playful atmosphere. Lucky Pollo and District Eagle maintain separate amenities for their respective customers.
Lucky Pollo opened last week with a competition to devour a whole rotisserie chicken in the fastest time, with the winner earning $1,000 and a framed spot on the restaurant’s “Wall of Fame.” The opening also featured other games and prizes, and a full crowd spilling out the door.
“We want it to be a great place to eat, but also serve as a playful front for something completely unexpected.” Renovátes says.
On weekends especially, he jokes, the motto will be, ‘Come for the chicken, stay for the cock.’”
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