“Harry Potter” actor Daniel Radcliffe and “Fantastic Beasts” actor Eddie Redmayne have both denounced author J.K. Rowling’s stance on transgenderism.
In an essay published on The Trevor Project, Radcliffe declared that “transgender women are women.”
“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,” Radcliffe said, as reported by Fox News.
“According to The Trevor Project, 78 percent of transgender and nonbinary youth reported being the subject of discrimination due to their gender identity,” he continued.
Radcliffe then directed his criticism towards Rowling’s book series by pointing out that her messages of love and tolerance are drastically undercut by her anti-trans stance.
“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,” he said.
Speaking with Variety, Eddie Redmayne, who played a transgender character in “The Danish Girl,” said he firmly disagrees with Rowling’s stance.
“Respect for transgender people remains a cultural imperative, and over the years I have been trying to constantly educate myself,” Redmayne 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. I disagree with Jo’s comments.”
“Trans women are women, trans men are men, and non-binary identities are valid,” he continued. “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.”
In a Twitter post on Saturday, J.K. Rowling invited another wave of hate when she essentially said that the concept of transgenderism erases the struggles of women across the world.
“If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction,” Rowling tweeted, as reported by Fox News. “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.”
“The idea that women like me, who’ve been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because they’re vulnerable in the same way as women – ie, to male violence – ‘hate’ trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences – is a nonsense,” she continued.
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