Out actress and Hollywood A-lister, Ellen Page was on-hand to show her support for the first ever Pride Jamaica, in Kingston.
Last week it was reported that the local LGBT advocates and supporters were preparing for a week of Pride events – including a flag-raising opening ceremony and open-mic cabaret night.
However, due to security fears (in a country notorious for its widespread homophobia) organisers decided that a parade should not take place. Instead, they arranged a flash mob event to take place on Saturday in Kingston, outside of Emancipation Park.
And Page was a surprise attendee at the opening ceremony, which attracted around 40 participants.
According to Page’s social media account, the actress had been in Jamaica in the days leading up to Jamaica Pride on a self-dubbed #gaycation.
The Pride week events were timed to coincide with Jamaica’s annual Independence and Emancipation celebrations, as organizers thought the theme of ‘emancipation’ was appropriate to LGBT Pride.
Page will be soon seen in her much anticipated new movie Freeheld, playing the partner of Julianne Moore in a true-life story of a same-sex couple battling for equal rights.