Elliot Page Wears Perfect Ode to Queerness on 2021 Met Gala Red Carpet

Elliot Page made his first red carpet debut since coming out as trans at the 2021 Met Gala, Sunday, and did so in a way that would have made famed gay poet Oscar Wilde proud. The Umbrella Academy actor looked chic in a black Balenciaga suit with a green flower pinned to the lapel. The flower caught the eyes of queer fans, who immediately caught the reference.

The green carnation became a symbol of queer love during the 1890s. It was popularized by Wilde, who asked his friends to wear them to the opening night of his shows, and who often wore one on his own lapel as it “embodied the decadent and the unnatural,” according to Oscar Wilde Tours.

Wilde was tried and convicted of “indecency” and sentenced to two years in prison for his queerness. Fortunately, we’ve come a long, long way since the 1890s, and Page received an outpouring of praise and support on social media, as fans took to Twitter to express their excitement.