Elliot Page documentary

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Apologies if there’s already a thread about this. I searched but we all know what Mumsnet search functionality is like!

I’m watching the Elliot Page documentary on the BBC and I’m struck by how sad and depressed he seems. Has anyone else seen it? It’s such an awkward interview because the interviewer has a permanent grin on her face like she’s trying not to laugh!

I suspect Page isn’t healthy enough overall weight wise to benefit fully from testosterone. But there are a few well known transmen who desperately need the facial hair to give that initial false impression, but without it they’re still obviously female, or female if you see past the wispy facial hair.

Re. Page looking miserable because she knows men don't smile as much as women - maybe its the opposite? The old smiley, bubbly presentation was a performance that she found uncomfortable - I think women are often aware that they are 'performing femininity' when they are doing this sort of thing and that it is both artificial and quite hard work. What we are seeing is a more real and comfortable presentation.

Equally the appearance of being tired, old, etc., I think this might be because Page is not wearing the amount of makeup she would have done before, not putting as much effort into appearing young and pretty. Again I think this could be the real Page that we are seeing.

Great shame of course that she could not have got away from the whole entertainment business some time ago and become an ordinary woman with a job where people aren't looking at you all the time. Then she might not have felt the need to transition in order to be comfortable with herself.

But we are all, in real life, well used to seeing women who are not performing femininity, not wearing make up or smiling, and they don’t all look tired, depressed and generally miserable. So I don’t think that’s why we’re reading that in EP.

Page looks like a man, alright. One who is old, and wizened, in baggy clothing, wearing a baseball cap to appear "yoof!".

I have total empathy for anyone this unhappy and mentally damaged.

But there is zero credibility in this zeitgeist craze to try and "disappear" the angst and negative emotions into fakery and simulation.

And the biggest sin? Not Page and the personal beliefs that have led to a damaged and fake outcome.

It's society that has literally feted Page...from everyone's fave empathetic Lorraine on nationwide TV telling Page that the bravery and courage is off the scale, that everyone salutes the journey and outcome, to the peer group and friends who said "yeah, go ahead, of course you're a boy, and when you're a boy, all your problems will be gone".

We swapped the state religion of virgin births, and the Earth being 4004 years old, and transmigration, and heaven and hell for...this?