Elliot Page: 'Children Will Die' Due to Anti-Trans Laws

Elliot Page told Oprah what gave him "tears of joy" since coming out as transgender last December.

"Getting out of the shower and the towel's around your waist and you're looking at yourself in the mirror and you're just like, 'There I am.' And I'm not having the moment where I'm panicked," he said, reports People. "It's being able to touch my chest and feel comfortable in my body for the -- probably the first time."

Earlier this year, Page, 34, told Time in a cover story that top surgery "completely transformed my life" after going through the "total hell" of puberty. He said that watching himself portray female on-screen was a difficult experience. "I just never recognized myself," Page said. "For a long time I could not even look at a photo of myself."

The Juno star came out as trans in an Instagram post in December, in which he revealed his preferred pronouns were he/they. He also drew attention to the country's epidemic of anti-transgender violence. "The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now and knowing how much privilege I carry, I am also scared. I'm scared of the invasiveness, the hate, 'the jokes,' and of the violence...," Page wrote. "The discrimination towards trans people is rife, insidious, and cruel, resulting in horrific consequences. In 2020 alone, it has reported that at least 40 transgender people have been murdered, the majority of which were Black and Latinx trans women."

In his sit-down with Oprah, Page also addressed the rash of anti-transgender legislation that is going through state legislatures, which are denying trans kids access to health care and the right to play sports. These bills are "based on lies," Page said.

"If you are going to do this, and if you are also not going to allow trans kids to play sports, children will die," Page said. "And it really is that simple."

The full interview with Oprah will debut Friday on Apple TV+.