The popular and well-known 26-year-old Juno and Inception star Ellen Page came out and announced that she is gay while giving a speech at the Time to Thrive conference in Las Vegas that was organized by LGBT advocacy group Human Rights Campaign.

"I'm here today because I am gay, 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."

The actress said that she had decided to publicly declare her sexuality because she was "tired of hiding and I am tired of lying by omission. 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 all that pain."

Later, Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) tweeted "Congratulations, @EllenPage for taking the steps to live openly and come out as lesbian. #comingout #timetoTHRIVE " while the actress tweeted "Thank you @HRC and everyone for all the love and support. X"

During the speech, Page said, "It's weird because here I am, an actress, representing -- at least in some sense -- an industry that places crushing standards on all of us. Not just young people, but everyone. Standards of beauty. Of a good life. Of success. Standards that, I hate to admit, have affected me."

Page will be acting in the upcoming X-Men movie and she said she had learned a lot from others who have publicly announced their sexual orientation such as football player Michael Sam, the first openly gay player in the NFL. "We deserve to experience love fully, equally, without shame and without compromise," she said during her speech.