Daniel Radcliffe Opens Up About JK Rowling's Anti-Trans Tweet: Transgender Women Are Women
Harry Potter fans have been upset with the franchise author JK Rowling for her recent tweets about transgender people. After the backlash, Harry Potter film star Daniel Radcliffe released a statement
Harry
Potter
fans
have
been
upset
with
the
franchise
author
JK
Rowling
for
her
recent
tweets
about
transgender
people.
After
the
backlash,
Harry
Potter
film
star
Daniel
Radcliffe
released
a
statement
in
support
of
transgender
people.
The
actor
said,
"Transgender
women
are
women," and
asked
his
fans
to
be
more
educated
on
how
to
show
support
to
transgender
and
nonbinary
people.
Daniel
issued
a
statement
through
The
Trevor
Project,
which
is
a
suicide
prevention
non-profit
organisation
for
LGBT
youth.
The
statement
read
that
while
JK
Rowling
has
played
an
important
part
in
his
life,
he
feels
compelled
to
say
something.
"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
honoured
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."
The
actor
also
shared
how
people
can
become
more
educated
and
show
support
to
the
transgender
community.
He
added,
"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."
Many
book
bloggers,
Harry
Potter
fans
and
book
box
subscription
firms
have
decided
not
to
support
the
book
franchise
due
to
the
author's
comments.
Talking
about
the
same,
Radcliffe
said
to
the
fan
base
that
he
is
deeply
sorry
for
the
pain
JK's
comment
has
caused.
"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.," he
wrote.
Rowling's
tweet
drew
outrage
after
she
criticised
an
opinionated
piece
from
Devex
that
used
the
phrase
"people
who
menstruate." She
went
on
to
share
several
tweets
going
on
about
how
a
new
identity
system
will
tarnish
the
female
gender,
"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."
This
is
not
the
first
time
JK
Rowling's
tweets
have
upset
a
particular
community
and
the
Harry
Potter
fans.