Actress Ellen Page, who came out gay
last month, responded Saturday to a pastor who told her being gay is
a belief.
The 26-year-old Page announced she's
gay during a speech delivered at Time to THRIVE, an LGBT youth
conference hosted by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and held at
Bally's Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“I am here today because I am gay,”
the Juno star told the crowd. “And because maybe I can make
a difference to help others have an easier and more hopeful time.
Regardless, for me, I feel a personal obligation and a social
responsibility.”
“I am tired of hiding and I am tired
of lying by omission,” she
added. “I suffered for years because I was scared to be out.
My spirit suffered, my mental health suffered and my relationships
suffered. And I'm standing here today, with all of you, on the other
side of that pain.”
Page has said that response has been
mostly supportive.
But in a tweet Saturday, Page responded
to one of her detractors.
“2 da Pastor who wrote me – Being
gay isn't a belief. My soul isn't struggling & I don't want arms
of Heavenly Father around me. A girls arms? Yes,” she tweeted to
her more than 877,000 followers.