After Daniel Radcliffe penned an essay rebutting JK Rowling’s comments about gender, more Harry Potter stars responded to the author’s controversial comments. Earlier this week, the lead actor{
On Wednesday, following backlash from fans around the world, JK doubled down on her stance that biological sex should be considered separate from gender. In the essay, she also revealed she is a survivor of sexual assault, using it to try and explain her position on trans issues.
Following Daniel’s essay, Eddie Redmayne, star of Fantastic Beasts, then provided a statement to Variety (before JK’s essay was released). ‘Respect for transgender people remains a cultural imperative, and over the years I have been trying to constantly educate myself,’ the actor said. ‘This is an ongoing process. As someone who has worked with both J.K. Rowling and members of the trans community, I wanted to make it absolutely clear where I stand.’ Eddie played one of the first known recipients of sex reassignment surgery in 2016 film The Danish Girl.
‘I disagree with Jo’s comments,’ he continued. ‘Trans women are women, trans men are men and non-binary identities are valid. I would never want to speak on behalf of the community but I do know that my dear transgender friends and colleagues are tired of this constant questioning of their identities, which all too often results in violence and abuse. They simply want to live their lives peacefully, and it’s time to let them do so.’
Emma Watson - who played Hermione Granger in Harry Potter - donated to the charities Mermaids and Mama Cash, and encouraged her followers to do the same if they were able. ‘Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are,’ she tweeted. ‘I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are.’
Rupert Grint has also now responded, telling The Times: 'I firmly stand with the trans community and echo the sentiments expressed by many of my peers. Trans women are women. Trans men are men. We should all be entitled to live with love and without judgement.'
Other actors such as Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Chris Rankin (Percy Weasley) and Noma Dumezweni, who played Hermione Granger in the first run of both the West End and Broadway productions of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, have also spoken out against Rowling’s views.
Katie Leung, who played Cho Chang, put the spotlight on organizations that support Black trans women. ‘So, you want my thoughts on Cho Chang? Okay, here goes...(thread),’ she began, before posting a thread to various funds supporting black trans people and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Even U.S. Harry Potter editor Arthur Levine dismantled Rowling’s argument. ‘I know you and I know you aren’t speaking out of hate,’ he wrote. ‘But I do have a different point of view about this. Gender can be “real” without being established irrevocably at birth by one’s chromosomes or one’s genitals. The brain is also an organ that determines gender. Once someone transitions to make their physical body reflect their gender identity, then the “sex” they then express is real. Trans women ARE real women, in their minds and in their bodies. Medical intervention on one person does not invalidate any who don’t need it.’
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