Daniel Radcliffe Rejects J.K. Rowling’s Anti-Trans Tweets: ‘Transgender Women Are Women’
Zack Sharf
Daniel Radcliffe is being praised across social media for standing up against J.K. Rowling’s anti-trans tweets. The “Harry Potter” author generated controversy on June 6 after posting a series of comments to Twitter in which she argued that discussing gender identity negates biological sex. “If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction,” the author wrote. “If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives.”
Radcliffe published a letter to The Trevor Project’s website this week responding to Rowling’s claims and showing support to the transgender community. The actor said Rowling was “unquestionably responsible” for his career success but that “he felt compelled to say something,” even if it risked the media painting the situation as “in-fighting between J.K. Rowling and myself.”
“Transgender women are women,” Radcliffe writes in the letter. “Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I.”
Citing that 78 percent of transgender and nonbinary youth have reported they’ve been discriminated against, Radcliffe adds, “It’s clear that we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm.”
“To all the people who now feel that their experience of the [‘Harry Potter’] books has been tarnished or diminished, I am deeply sorry for the pain these comments have caused you,” Radcliffe writes. “I really hope that you don’t entirely lose what was valuable in these stories to you … if they taught you that strength is found in diversity, and that dogmatic ideas of pureness lead to the oppression of vulnerable groups; if you believe that a particular character is trans, nonbinary, or gender fluid, or that they are gay or bisexual; if you found anything in these stories that resonated with you and helped you at any time in your life — then that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred. And in my opinion nobody can touch that.”
Radcliffe earned acclaim from queer activists, filmmakers, showrunners, and more across social media for his support of the the transgender and nonbinary community. Read Radcliffe’s letter in its entirety over at The Trevor Project’s website.
Excellent response! Kudos to Radcliffe https://t.co/ijkDMMhany
— sean baker (@Lilfilm) June 9, 2020
TRANSGENDER WOMEN ARE WOMEN https://t.co/bMFLRD6uWl
— Bryan Fuller (@BryanFuller) June 9, 2020
Thank you Daniel Radcliffe https://t.co/iw2jPBaxA6 pic.twitter.com/09kzgjG8Ox
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) June 9, 2020
Exactly. Daniel Radcliffe is a true angel. https://t.co/8cmmFxVlSq
— Jeffree Star (@JeffreeStar) June 9, 2020
Exactly. Daniel Radcliffe is a true angel. https://t.co/8cmmFxVlSq
— Jeffree Star (@JeffreeStar) June 9, 2020
Exactly. Daniel Radcliffe is a true angel. https://t.co/8cmmFxVlSq
— Jeffree Star (@JeffreeStar) June 9, 2020
sort of irrelevant, but dan radders is still one of the nicest people i’ve ever met. he let the girl playing his daughter ride around on his back, he remembered all our names, he mucked about with us. he didn’t have to be so kind, he just washttps://t.co/JK7cebHNMf
— BERTIE GILBERT (@bertieglbrt) June 9, 2020
