Anyone who has been through a divorce can tell you that even the most straightforward divorce is difficult for the persons involved. Every marriage and divorce is different, and there are a variety of reasons that can make a divorce more difficult. When you're going through a divorce, it might feel like you're on trial, and this is especially true if you're transgender.Figures on how many divorces involve a transgender spouse are difficult to come by, but statistics don't matter in the end: if you're going through a divorce as a trans person, your experiences are what matter. This is the case for Elliot Page and his estranged wife Emma Portner. So, what really happened between the couple?Updated on July 26, 2022: Since the original posting of this article, there have been little to no details shared by either Portner or Page about why they chose to divorce. Both parties have instead channeled all their energy and time into their careers. Emma has continued to choreograph, and shares many of her works on her Instagram account. Elliot has been in two television shows this year already, The Umbrella Academy and ARK: The Animated Series, and has two films currently in post-production.
Elliot And Emma’s Journey Together
In 2017, Elliot Page and Emma Portner met on social media for the first time. Elliot had noticed Emma when she posted a dancing video on Instagram and was "inclined to message" her. Reminiscing the past, he reportedly said, “I thought, damn, this girl is so talented and so cool. I knew right away we were both creative spirits.”
They had shared their first video collaboration online in June of the same year. Emma later posted another movie they collaborated on in August 2017, referring to it as a "movement film." They were photographed together at the premiere of Elliot's film Flatliners in September.
Even though Emma had previously stated that dating a Hollywood actor came with a lot of public attention, they married in January 2018. The couple did not reveal the wedding's specific date or any other details to help maintain their privacy. On January 3, Elliot simply revealed the news on Instagram.
In December 2018, Portner talked about their "indefatigable connection" even more. She spoke about the great impact Elliot has had on her dancing career during an interview. “He and I have an indefatigable connection and this undying desire to be near each other. It cannot ever be perfect, but we really respect each other. Love can’t flow without respect. Elliot is the best, and I still cry every time we part ways for work. I probably will forever, and I’m OK with that.”
Elliot, who recently showed off his abs on Instagram, opened up about their love after a year of marriage in January 2019, calling their wedding night "the most magical night" of their lives. In June 2019, they celebrated Pride Month together, and in August 2020, he referred to his partner as "one of the most talented people" they'd ever met.
Page got Emma’s full support when he came out as transgender in December 2020. "I'm so proud of @elliotpage. Trans, queer and non-binary people are a gift to this world. I also ask for patience & privacy but that you join me in the fervent support of trans life every single day,” she wrote on Instagram. But 2021 is a sad year for the couple. After being married for nearly three years, the couple has announced that they’re getting a divorce.
Elliot And Emma Part Ways
Three years after their private 2018 wedding, Elliot Page has filed for a divorce. According to reports, the Juno actor filed the documents in a Manhattan court for a contested separation. If that wasn’t enough, both of them have removed most of the photos of each other from their social media accounts.
The pair said in a joint statement, “After much thought and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce following our separation last summer. We have the utmost respect for each other and remain close friends.” For now, they haven’t said why they have broken up and no details about it are made public – although some believe that it has to do with Elliot’s transition, considering the news about the divorce comes just two months after he announced he’s transgender.
Yet despite Emma’s public display of support to Elliot, many people on social media have taken it on themselves to diagnose the reason behind the couple’s divorce. One Twitter user wrote, “So lesbian starts calling herself a man and her wife who is also a lesbian wants a divorce. No f***ing way.” Another follower, who couldn’t even be bothered to use Elliot’s correct pronoun, commented, “OMG. After her making a big ass deal about coming out and talking about how her wife is so supportive.”
While many thought that the divorce could be related to Elliot’s coming out as transgender, others speculate that his sexuality was not the reason behind their split. The pair’s breakup looks like it was a long time in the making, as they have announced in their joint statement that they actually separated “last summer,” just before Elliot’s transition.
The truth is that only Elliot and Emma know the real reason why they split up. There could be a million reasons, but the most important are that humans are complex, that coupling is difficult, and that things don't always work out, or that they do for a while and then their time is over. That is a positive development. It's not a matter of being straight or gay, trans or anything. It's a human condition.