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Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling is speaking out against Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson. In a series of social media posts, the fantasy book series creator shared a recent independent review of what she called “probably the most robust review of the medical evidence for transitioning children that’s ever been conducted.”
One follower responded to her post on X writing, “Just waiting for Dan and Emma to offer you a really public apology … protected within the knowledge that you’ll forgive them … ”
J.K. — who has faced controversy for past anti-transgender comments — suggested she wasn’t open to forgiving the Harry Potter stars.
“Not protected, I’m afraid,” she replied. “Celebs who cosied as much as a movement intent on eroding women’s hard-won rights and who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors can save their apologies for traumatised detransitioners and vulnerable women reliant on single sex spaces.”
Although Daniel, 34, and Emma, 33, haven’t spoken out about their views on the medical transitioning of youngsters, they’ve supported trans rights.
“Trans persons are who they are saying they’re and need to live their lives without being consistently questioned or told they aren’t who they are saying they’re,” Emma said via X in June 2020. “I need my trans followers to know that I and so many other people all over the world see you, respect you and love you for who you might be.”
That very same month, Daniel showed his support for trans women by writing a short essay for the Trevor Project, a non-profit with a mission to finish suicide amongst LGBTQ+ members.
“I realize that certain press outlets will probably need to paint this as in-fighting between J.K. Rowling and myself, but that is basically not what that is about, neither is it what’s essential at once,” Daniel wrote. “Transgender women are women. Any statement on the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by skilled health care associations who’ve way more expertise on this material than either Jo or I.”
The actor added that he hopes any controversial comments from J.K., 58, doesn’t diminish or tarnish readers’ experiences of the Harry Potter series.
“I actually hope that you just don’t entirely lose what was precious in these stories to you,” he wrote. “If these books taught you that love is the strongest force within the universe, able to overcoming anything; in the event that they taught you that strength is present in diversity, and that dogmatic ideas of pureness result in the oppression of vulnerable groups; for those who imagine that a specific character is trans, nonbinary, or gender fluid, or that they’re gay or bisexual; for those who found anything in these stories that resonated with you and helped you at any time in your life — then that’s between you and the book that you just read, and it’s sacred.”
