2
Credit: Netflix/Getty ImagesAs we’ve recently shared, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling recently shared transphobic tweets on her personal Twitter account. The statements were not only met with opposition from the LGBT community but also stars of the Harry Potter franchise. Now, Daniel Radcliffe has joined his costars by sharing his own opposition to Rowling’s views and support for the trans community.
Radcliffe shared his statement through the Trevor Project, a leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning young people.
In the opening of his statement, Radcliffe immediately acknowledges the idea that media will try to pin the two against one another. However, Radcliffe rejects this idea in his statement and focusses on the importance of the situation.
“I realize that certain press outlets will probably want to paint this as in-fighting between J.K. Rowling and myself, but that is really not what this is about, nor is it what’s important right now. While Jo is unquestionably responsible for the course my life has taken, as someone who has been honored to work with and continues to contribute to The Trevor Project for the last decade, and just as a human being, I feel compelled to say something at this moment.”
Radcliffe went on to say: “Transgender women are women. 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. According to The Trevor Project, 78% of transgender and nonbinary youth reported being the subject of discrimination due to their gender identity. It’s clear that we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm.”
Radcliffe continued his post by stating he is still educating himself on transgender and nonbinary identities but he invites everyone to check out The Trevor Project’s Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Youth, which covers a wide range of topics, including the differences between sex and gender, and shares best practices on how to support transgender and nonbinary people.
For all of the fans of the Harry Potter books out there who were left with a bad taste in their mouth over Rowling’s tweets, Radcliffe apologized to those in his statement, saying:
“To all the people who now feel that their experience of the books has been tarnished or diminished, I am deeply sorry for the pain these comments have caused you. I really hope that you don’t entirely lose what was valuable in these stories to you. If these books taught you that love is the strongest force in the universe, capable of overcoming anything; 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. It means to you what it means to you and I hope that these comments will not taint that too much.”
To read the full statement, be sure to head over to the Trevor Project, where you can also find even more information about the trans community.
If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. 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. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020
What are your thoughts on Daniel Radcliffe speaking out against J.K. Rowling’s transphobic tweets? Let us know in the comments!