Hollywood Actress Ellen Page announced at an event called Time to THRIVE, a conference to promote the gay communities issues, that she is gay.
Page is best known for her role in the film “Juno”. Her speech was very emotional and was given a standing ovation from the people crowded in the conference room in front of her.
CNN reported that Page said, “I’m here today because I am gay. And because… maybe I can make a difference. I am tired of hiding and I am tired of lying by omission. I suffered for years, because I was scared to be out.”
The 26 year old actress also mentioned football star Michael Sam, and referred to him as a “hero.”
Sam is a defensive lineman from the University of Missouri who just recently announced to the public that he is gay before the National Football League draft. If the NFL League does draft him, he will be the first openly gay player to enter the league.
Page said that she has been inspired and has learned a lot from people like Sam who announced their sexual orientation to the public.
Page told the crowd, “We deserve to experience love fully, equally, without shame and without compromise.”
When I went out and asked Bloomsburg students about their thoughts on her speech and her news, the 3 students, who asked to remain anonymous, all basically had the same thing to say.
The first two students I asked said the same thing that was good for her and didn’t have any negative feelings toward her announcement of being gay.
The third student I spoke to expanded on that general idea and said, “It’s 2014, being gay isn’t a big deal anymore. Almost all people are extremely accepting. It shouldn’t matter if your gay or not.”
