Hollywood has been accused of hypocrisy when it comes to its rules on diversity in casting, as actor Elliot Page (formerly known as Ellen Page) will continue to play a female character, after coming out this week as transgender.
Page will reprise the role of the cis female Vanya Hargreeves in Netflix’s comic book show ‘Umbrella Academy.’ The series’ producers have no plans to change the character’s gender, Variety reports.
The ‘X-Men’ star came out on Tuesday, and seems to have been fully embraced by fellow celebrities, who immediately offered messages of support.
Yet, fans and social media commenters were left confused by the star’s and the streaming company’s decision for Page to play a character of a different gender – particularly a non-trans one. Many Twitter users were reminded of actresses like Scarlett Johanson and Halle Berry having to turn down roles of trans women, following ‘woke’ outcries after casting decisions.
"It’s offensive for Scarlet Johansson to play a trans woman so she quit. I’m betting the rule won’t apply now,” one person tweeted. “Should the role of a woman be played by a woman and not a man?” another one pondered.
"The woke have boxed themselves into a corner: according to their gospel, Page can now only play a female who is trans," pointed out one commenter.
Others, however, saw it as a step in the right direction, to where actors will be able to play "all kinds of roles without it being a scandal."
Then there were those who thought nothing of the whole saga, saying that the appropriateness of Page’s and Netflix’s decision was for them to decide, not viewers.
GLADD, the LGBT media monitoring organization, said that trans actors "can and do play both trans and cisgender characters,” while Variety reported that Page’s character will remain female on the show.
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