&#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; author J.K. Rowling planted a red flag on the clear message radical trans activists are sending to women and girls when they demand access to single-sex spaces that are meant to be for women only.
Rowling, whose support for sex-based rights and privacy has often put her at odds with the trans community, said that the obvious takeaway was as simple as it was insidious: women, to them, were little more than costumes that afforded the wearers everything that went along with actually being women.
&#8220;The message to girls everywhere: you are a costume that any man can put on. Once he’s wearing it, he gets to take your rights,&#8221; Rowling&#8217;s post was concise.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The message to girls everywhere: you are a costume that any man can put on. Once he’s wearing it, he gets to take your rights. <a href="https://t.co/BlQvL8bbyR">https://t.co/BlQvL8bbyR</a>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1958821381971300800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/world/europe/article/neo-nazi-womens-prison-changing-gender-vj5zvwm89">article</a> Rowling shared to back up her statement was published in The Times and detailed the story of a man who was headed to a women&#8217;s prison in Germany just months after claiming that he was, in fact, a woman.
Marla-Svenja Liebich, 53 — who went by the name Sven until December of 2024 — was the leader of a banned local Nazi group called Blood and Honour in Saxony-Anhalt. He has campaigned for Russian President Vladimir Putin and cheered on the war against Ukraine.
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Liebich was arrested on several charges including inciting hatred, criminal insults, and &#8220;trying to sell a baseball bat over the internet as a &#8216;deportation aid.'&#8221;
Despite previously claiming that trans-identifying people were &#8220;parasites on society,&#8221; Liebich made use of a recently-changed policy in order to adopt his new identity. While in years past, trans-identifying individuals had to present evidence from two doctors in order to change gender on official government documents, a new policy adopted last November allows individuals to simply fill out a form at a local government office.

“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” World Premiere – Arrivals

JK Rowling Flags Harmful Message Trans Activists Are Sending To Women: ‘You Are A Costume’

JK Rowling Flags Harmful Message Trans Activists Are Sending To Women: 'You Are A Costume'

JK Rowling

Politics

Social Issues

Transgender

Women

Women's Rights

After a leftist activist berated a transgender-identifying man for mocking a fellow transgender-identifying man boasting about buying bras online, &#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; author J.K. Rowling issued a sharp rejoinder.
The series of incidents began with one of the transgender-identifying men boasting, “I fully intend to attend my bra fit at M&amp;S. I&#8217;m a woman. I&#8217;m a human being. I will not be intimidated by bullies. I stand strong! I stand proud!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I fully intend to attend my bra fit at M&amp;S. I&#39;m a woman. I&#39;m a human being. I will not be intimidated by bullies.
I stand strong! I stand proud! 🏳️‍⚧️
&mdash; Sophie Molly 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ (@SophieMolly_OFF) <a href="https://twitter.com/SophieMolly_OFF/status/1957365640404058532?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;
Brianna Wu, also a transgender-identifying man, responded acidly by noting that &#8220;normal trans women&#8221; don&#8217;t publicly discuss things like shopping for undergarments, writing on X:
<blockquote>
Please don’t associate me or normal trans women with this train wreck. Do you see other women talking about bra shopping on Twitter? No? Maybe because it’s inappropriate. Maybe there’s a level of feminine modesty you should be thinking about. Secondly, we’re not the same as normal women &#8211; as much as we may want to be. We are not automatically entitled to anything. Women’s spaces are heavily vibe based, and yours are dreadful. By politicizing this you’re making life harder for yourself and everyone else. Thirdly, I’m just gonna be honest. You come off as a fetishistic cross dresser. Normal women don’t brag about bra fitting appointments and plan to post pictures on Twitter. Can we not just vote these clowns off Trans Rights island? They don’t have anything to do with me.
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Please don’t associate me or normal trans women with this train wreck. 
Do you see other women talking about bra shopping on Twitter? No? Maybe because it’s inappropriate. Maybe there’s a level of feminine modesty you should be thinking about. 
Secondly, we’re not the same as… <a href="https://t.co/qAJVkYoNV3">https://t.co/qAJVkYoNV3</a>
&mdash; Brianna Wu (@BriannaWu) <a href="https://twitter.com/BriannaWu/status/1957436385641586926?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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That prompted a critic of Wu to declare, “Hi @BriannaWu You&#8217;ve talked about bras multiple times on Twitter. I&#8217;m sure you&#8217;ll find a way to say &#8216;but I&#8217;m a good trans woman, so when I do it it&#8217;s different.&#8217; Transphobes have politicised everything trans women do, but you&#8217;re not dim, you&#8217;re just pretending not to know that.”
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Hi <a href="https://twitter.com/BriannaWu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BriannaWu</a> You&#39;ve talked about bras multiple times on Twitter. I&#39;m sure you&#39;ll find a way to say &quot;but I&#39;m a good trans woman, so when I do it it&#39;s different.&quot; Transphobes have politicised everything trans women do, but you&#39;re not dim, you&#39;re just pretending not to know that. <a href="https://t.co/iZD6nUw0SK">https://t.co/iZD6nUw0SK</a> <a href="https://t.co/1zN7WzFMP9">pic.twitter.com/1zN7WzFMP9</a>
&mdash; Aidan Comerford (@AidanCTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/AidanCTweets/status/1957675085101253061?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Rowling then entered the fray, snapping, “Yes, when my friends and I are talking on X, bras are definitely something we regularly discuss. It’s the perfect place to discuss our underwear. Sometimes, if  @bindelj hasn’t mentioned her bra for a couple of days, I DM to check if she’s ok and offer to buy her a front fastener.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Yes, when my friends and I are talking on X, bras are definitely something we regularly discuss. It’s the perfect place to discuss our underwear. Sometimes, if <a href="https://twitter.com/bindelj?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bindelj</a> hasn’t mentioned her bra for a couple of days, I DM to check if she’s ok and offer to buy her a front fastener. <a href="https://t.co/SDyCfkVlMJ">pic.twitter.com/SDyCfkVlMJ</a>
&mdash; J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1957769578789867581?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;
As writer Christian Toto <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/expelliarmus-j-k-rowling-disarms-her-critics-again-and-again">noted</a> in June:
<blockquote>
The Legacy Media and the Left (but we repeat ourselves) declared war on “Harry Potter” author <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jk-rowling">J.K. Rowling</a> in 2019 after she questioned elements of the trans agenda. Rowling, a certified progressive on cultural and political matters, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/5-years-ago-j-k-rowling-took-a-stand-against-trans-activists-she-hasnt-backed-down">refused to rubber stamp every aspect of the movement</a>. 
&#8220;Dress however you please. Call yourself whatever you like. Sleep with any consenting adult who’ll have you. Live your best life in peace and security. But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real?&#8221;
For that, she was canceled in every way possible, over and again.
</blockquote>

J.K. Rowling Hilariously Shreds Transgender Activist Over Bra-Fitting Boast

World

The National Library of Scotland (NLS) is under fire after Amina Shah, Scotland’s national librarian and the NLS chief executive, opted not to include a pro-women&#8217;s rights book in a centenary display.
The NLS initially asked the public for nominations, calling the display a &#8220;love letter&#8221; to reading and literacy and suggesting that people submit titles that had inspired and encouraged their love of reading — and titles that received a certain number of nominations were to be included in the planned ten-month display.
One book that received more than double the requisite number of nominations was &#8220;The Women Who Wouldn&#8217;t Wheesht&#8221; — a series of essays that chronicled the fight between feminists like &#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; author J.K. Rowling who questioned radical gender ideology and former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon&#8217;s gender self-identification law. The title comes from their refusal to remain silent — in the Gaelic &#8220;haud yer wheesht&#8221; — while radical trans activists effectively erased women.
Despite meeting the threshold for display, &#8220;The Women Who Wouldn&#8217;t Wheesht&#8221; was banned by the NLS after LGBT staffers complained that it was &#8220;hate speech.&#8221; Shah claimed that she&#8217;d made the decision in light of &#8220;the potential impact on key stakeholders&#8221; who could potentially &#8220;withdraw support for the exhibition and the centenary&#8221; altogether.
Susan Dalgety and Lucy Hunter Blackburn, who edited the book, sent a letter to Shah questioning the decision.
&#8220;We have written to the National Librarian about her decision to remove The Women Who Wouldn&#8217;t Wheesht from the centenary exhibition for the National Library of Scotland, Dear Library, in response to complaints from its LGBT staff network,&#8221; an X post including the letter explained.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We have written to the National Librarian about her decision to remove The Women Who Wouldn&#8217;t Wheesht from the centenary exhibition for the National Library of Scotland, Dear Library, in response to complaints from its LGBT staff network. 1/2 <a href="https://t.co/lQlv2x0tsO">pic.twitter.com/lQlv2x0tsO</a>
— The Frontline (@EthelWrites) <a href="https://twitter.com/EthelWrites/status/1955390550494023958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The letter reads, in part:
<blockquote>
This is about more than the book. This is the legacy of a decade of political leadership which has demonized and delegitimized people who refused to conform to the approved narrative on sex and gender identity.
The material released also lifts the lid on the network of discrimination and censorship which operates across Scotland’s public institutions with impunity through staff networks and other activist groups, enabled by weak leadership.
</blockquote>
For Women Scotland also issued a statement criticizing the NLS, saying, &#8220;Just when we thought censorship in Scotland couldn&#8217;t get any worse, it emerges that @natlibscot decided to remove WWWW from an exhibition due to tantrums from the staff LGBT group. By caving to this, the library lends weight to their wholly untruthful objections to the book.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Just when we thought censorship in Scotland couldn&#8217;t get any worse, it emerges that <a href="https://twitter.com/natlibscot?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@natlibscot</a> decided to remove WWWW from an exhibition due to tantrums from the staff LGBT group.
By caving to this, the library lends weight to their wholly untruthful objections to the book. <a href="https://t.co/3TJEGV8Hyp">https://t.co/3TJEGV8Hyp</a>
— For Women Scotland (@ForWomenScot) <a href="https://twitter.com/ForWomenScot/status/1955391664215953477?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The Times reports that &#8216;An earlier decision to include the text was reversed after an internal LGBT staff network claimed including it would cause “severe harm” and threatened to “notify LGBT+ partners of the library’s endorsement&#8221; of it,'&#8221; the statement continued. &#8220;What &#8216;harm&#8217;? Is this book uniquely likely to cause bad paper cuts? &#8216;An internal equality assessment warned that refusing to include the book could be seen as “a form of censorship which undermines our public duty as a national library”&#8217; Well, duh!&#8221;

“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald” UK Premiere – Red Carpet Arrivals

Pro-Women’s Rights Book Yanked From Scottish Library Display After LGBT Tantrum

Pro-Women's Rights Book Yanked From Scottish Library Display After LGBT Tantrum

Feminism

LGBT

Library

Scotland

Stephen Ireland, who has repeatedly attacked J.K. Rowling online for her pro-woman and anti-trans stances, was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Monday for raping a 12-year-old boy.
Ireland co-founded the pro-LGBT UK-based group Surrey Pride in 2018, and since then, has used his position to lash out at the “Harry Potter” author, labeling her a TERF (Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist) for advocating that women must be protected from biological men taking over their spaces.
“How to ruin a legacy… Become a TERF!” he <a href="https://hotair.com/john-s-2/2025/06/30/pride-founder-who-repeatedly-attacked-jk-rowling-online-gets-30-years-for-rape-n3804344">wrote</a> in a 2020 X post shared by J.K. Rowling on Monday. “Very disappointing JK!”
Another post from 2020 read, “The sorting hat has decided… @JK_Rowling ‘House of TERF.’”
Ireland, 41, raped the child at a flat in Addlestone, a town about 18 miles from London, after messaging him on Grindr, a dating app for gay men. The victim told police they had sex in the flat, smoked methamphetamine, and watched pornography, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2kkrxdpndo">according</a> to the BBC.
The child initially lied to Ireland about his age, saying he was 17 before later claiming he was 13.
“OK &#8211; we just have to keep it a secret,” Ireland said when the child told him this, and later asked if he would do it again with his flatmate, David Sutton, who was a Surrey Pride volunteer.
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Ireland and Sutton were both found guilty of a string of sexual crimes against children, including voyeurism, arranging commission of a child sex offense, and &#8220;possession and distribution of prohibited images of children.&#8221;
On Monday, Judge Patricia Lees said that Ireland “took advantage” of the 12-year-old boy.
“Far from finding that repugnant, you found that exciting, and sought to do it again,” she said. 
Ireland was sentenced to 24 years for the rape, as well as a further 6 years on &#8220;extended license,&#8221; often part of an extended sentence for offenders deemed a significant risk to the public. Sutton was sentenced to four-and-a-half years for making inappropriate images of children and the possession of an extreme pornographic image.
After enduring much online abuse from Ireland, Rowling weighed in on the sentencing in an X post.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Stephen Ireland, who targeted me with endless abuse on here because I oppose the chemical castration of children and the removal of protected spaces for women and girls, has just been sentenced to 30 years in jail for child rape. <a href="https://t.co/0HHctRocB4">pic.twitter.com/0HHctRocB4</a>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1939783256620298492?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“Stephen Ireland, who targeted me with endless abuse on here because I oppose the chemical castration of children and the removal of protected spaces for women and girls, has just been sentenced to 30 years in jail for child rape,” she wrote.

Pride Group Founder Who Vilified J.K. Rowling For Defending Women Convicted Of Child Rape

Crime

minors

Rape

United Kingdom

Performer Boy George lashed out at author JK Rowling, calling her a &#8220;rich, bored bully&#8221; over a comment she made on X, and it backfired immediately.
The exchange began with Rowling, who asked a simple question: &#8220;Which rights have been taken away from trans people?&#8221;
Someone responded to her, referring to her as a Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist (TERF) and saying, &#8220;The freedom to live without constant persecution, which you and your TERFarmy have taken from them.&#8221;
Rowling was not buying that, and replied, &#8220;When ‘persecution’ is redefined to mean ‘not being allowed to reorganise society based on unfalsifiable feelings, to compel everyone else’s speech and belief and to take rights away from other protected groups’ you’ll be absolutely right.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
When ‘persecution’ is redefined to mean ‘not being allowed to reorganise society based on unfalsifiable feelings, to compel everyone else’s speech and belief and to take rights away from other protected groups’ you’ll be absolutely right. <a href="https://t.co/bONhJRALyb">pic.twitter.com/bONhJRALyb</a>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1933452927076639048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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That was when Boy George weighed in, scolding Rowling: &#8220;The right to be left alone by a rich bored bully!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The right to be left alone by a rich bored bully! <a href="https://t.co/vTNdexD9Uk">https://t.co/vTNdexD9Uk</a>
— Boy George (@BoyGeorge) <a href="https://twitter.com/BoyGeorge/status/1933967762008801780?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The &#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; author availed herself then of the opportunity to explain her point further, telling the musician, &#8220;There are many differences between us, George, but some are particularly relevant to this debate. 1. You&#8217;re a man and I&#8217;m a woman. 2. You&#8217;ve been wealthy and famous since your early 20s. I didn&#8217;t become well known until I was well over 30. 3. I&#8217;ve never been given 15 months for handcuffing a man to a wall and beating him with a chain. 4. I believe in freedom of speech and belief.&#8221;
&#8220;For more than half my life I was a regular anonymous person,&#8221; Rowling continued. &#8220;Some of those years were spent in poverty. That&#8217;s why I understand the importance of single-sex spaces for women who&#8217;re reliant on state-funded services. That&#8217;s why I understand why mixed public changing rooms are a problem for women. That&#8217;s why I have a problem with men &#8216;identifying&#8217; into women&#8217;s rape crisis centres, domestic abuse and homeless shelters that are supposed to be single-sex.&#8221;
&#8220;I don&#8217;t stand against gender identity ideology because I personally still need those services, but because my life has taught me exactly how vulnerable women are when they don&#8217;t have the money/influence I have now,&#8221; she added. &#8220;You yourself have been convicted of violent assault. The overwhelming number of people who commit crimes of violence are male, just like you. That&#8217;s why I don&#8217;t want to see men identifying into women&#8217;s prison cells or any of the spaces mentioned above. Not all men are violent or predatory, but enough are to make safeguarding necessary.&#8221;
Rowling concluded with a jab at the artist&#8217;s public persona – which was always rooted in individuality and freedom of expression — and argued that he was caving to the crowd by taking the position he had on gender ideology.
&#8220;Lastly, I&#8217;m a writer who believes in freedom of speech and belief. As we both know, the safe, fashionable thing in the arts world right now is to do exactly what you&#8217;re doing: parrot TWAW and sneer at the unenlightened plebs who think sex is important and matters. For a man who was once all about non-conformity, George, you couldn&#8217;t have become more predictably or more tediously conformist,&#8221; she said.

Boy George Calls JK Rowling A Bully, And It Backfires Immediately

Celebrities

Stop the fight!
The Legacy Media and the Left (but we repeat ourselves) declared war on “Harry Potter” author <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jk-rowling">J.K. Rowling</a> in 2019 after she questioned elements of the trans agenda.
Rowling, a certified progressive on cultural and political matters, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/5-years-ago-j-k-rowling-took-a-stand-against-trans-activists-she-hasnt-backed-down">refused to rubber stamp every aspect of the movement</a>.
<blockquote>Dress however you please. Call yourself whatever you like. Sleep with any consenting adult who’ll have you. Live your best life in peace and security. But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real?</blockquote>
For that, she was canceled in every way possible, over and again.
<a href="https://thehill.com/video/jk-rowling-speaks-out-on-death-threats-from-pro-trans-activists-rape-murder-and-violence/10265832/">Some attempts proved literal.</a> She was the queen of the TERFS to the Left — Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists.
Now, nearly six years later, she’s emerged as a leading voice for sanity in the trans arena. She repeatedly speaks her mind on X, fights back against her legion of critics and is a key player behind one of the most anticipated streaming shows of our time.
HBO Max&#8217;s new <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/06/harry-potter-tv-series-max-release-date-cast-1235323284/">“Harry Potter” series,</a> due in either late 2026 or 2027, will retell the seven-book series captured in the epic eight-part film saga.
The battle rages on all the same, and she refuses to apologize. Still.
She’s blasted <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jk-rowling-calls-out-trans-activist-creep-over-womens-bathroom-selfies">a “creepy” trans activist</a> for bathroom selfies, slammed attempts to conflate the Pope’s name with an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jk-rowling-says-shes-found-the-most-bat-s-gender-identity-argument-yet">absurd trans argument</a> and stated the obvious when it comes to casting the new “Potter” series.
She responded to a journalist’s provocative narrative suggesting she wouldn’t hire an actor who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jk-rowling-said-she-wouldnt-fire-actor-from-harry-potter-series-for-being-pro-trans">disagreed with her trans issues</a>.
<blockquote>I don’t have the power to sack an actor from the series and I wouldn’t exercise it if I did … I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine.</blockquote>
That likely would have been a staunchly liberal stance 20 years ago. Those comments sound positively conservative in 2025, even though Rowling has never identified herself as conservative.
Either way, it’s refreshing to see an author embrace free speech.
<div id="attachment_503922" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-503922" class="size-large wp-image-503922" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1193618855-864x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 12: J.K. Rowling arrives at the 2019 RFK Ripple of Hope Awards at New York Hilton Midtown on December 12, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1193618855-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1193618855-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1193618855-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1193618855.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images</div>
Actors linked to the “Harry Potter” universe, either the existing films or the future TV show, are continually asked about Rowling’s views on trans issues. The media remains obsessed with Rowling’s willingness to speak her mind and share views considered mainstream by many.
Future “Harry Potter” star Nick Frost – he is tentatively set to play Hagrid in the TV series – blazed a <a href="https://variety.com/2025/tv/global/harry-potter-nick-frost-jk-rowling-trans-views-dont-align-1236423365/">mature path on the matter</a>.
<blockquote>She’s allowed her opinion and I’m allowed mine, they just don’t align in any way, shape or form.</blockquote>
Translation: A gig’s a gig, most likely. Frost still suggested in the same interview we need to “educate ourselves” on trans issues. The sight of too many trans female athletes dominating biological females may be all the learning we need, Hagrid 2.0.
Tom Felton, who played the wicked Draco Malfoy in the original films, sidestepped a leading question on the red carpet while throwing his support behind Rowling. He’s co-starring in a Broadway adaption of Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”
He didn’t share his stance on trans issues with the scribe. He simply praised an author who made his <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2025/06/09/tom-felton-jk-rowling-broadway-harry-potter/84111570007/">career shine impossibly brighter</a>.
<blockquote>The only thing I always remind myself is that I’ve been lucky enough to travel the world. Here I am in New York … and I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter, and she’s responsible for that. So I’m incredibly grateful.</blockquote>
Compare that to the verbal brickbats thrown by the original Harry Potter and Hermione, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, at Rowling over her trans views.
<div id="attachment_934305" style="width: 897px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-934305" class="size-large wp-image-934305" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-118421523-887x576.jpg" alt="LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 07: Actor Daniel Radcliffe, writer J.K. Rowling, actress Emma Watson and actor Rupert Grint attend the &quot;Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2&quot; world premiere at Trafalgar Square on July 7, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Jon Furniss/WireImage)" width="887" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-118421523-887x576.jpg 887w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-118421523-300x195.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-118421523-768x499.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-118421523.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 887px) 100vw, 887px" />Jon Furniss/WireImage</div>
Here’s the former Harry Potter <a href="https://ew.com/daniel-radcliffe-j-k-rowlings-anti-trans-rhetoric-really-sad-8641559">taking her to task for her views</a>.
<blockquote>It makes me really sad, ultimately … I do look at the person that I met, the times that we met, and the books that she wrote, and the world that she created, and all of that is to me so deeply empathic.</blockquote>
HBO Max has had Rowling’s back for some time. The streamer also sees a shifting cultural landscape. The Warner Bros. Discovery platform might have chafed at joining forces with Rowling four or five years ago.
That was before Riley Gaines struck endless blows on behalf of biological women and Matt Walsh’s groundbreaking documentary “What Is a Woman?” had yet to be released.
Remember the tiny role Rowling played in the 2022 “Harry Potter” reunion special on HBO Max? Rowling said she <a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/news/jk-rowling-harry-potter-anniversary-special-absence-explained-1235352807/">declined an invitation to appear</a>, but her archival footage proved brief and perfunctory.
Surely there’s countless footage of the author exploring the magical universe that transported countless children while teaching them to love reading?
Now, the streamer is desperate to stay in her good graces and wring every eyeball possible from the upcoming series. <a href="https://www.mensjournal.com/entertainment/hbo-makes-decision-on-relationship-with-j-k-rowling">HBO CEO Casey Bloys</a> made that obvious earlier this year.
<blockquote>It’s pretty clear that those are her personal, political views. She’s entitled to them. ‘Harry Potter’ is not secretly being infused with anything. And if you want to debate her, you can go on Twitter.</blockquote>
Rowling never wavered through it all. One could argue she has enough money to ignore Cancel Culture and the media, but others with very deep pockets bowed to the progressive mob in short order.
Take Stephen King. The <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-7936237/Stephen-King-apologizes-controversial-tweets-diversity-Oscars.html">horror maestro backpedaled</a> when progressives attacked him for suggesting merit matters more in the arts than diversity box checking. He even penned a mewling apology/essay in The Washington Post to keep the Cancel Culture mob at bay.
Scarlett Johansson, arguably the most popular actress in the country, similarly did the Hostage Apology routine after <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/scarlett-johansson-says-she-mishandled-transgender-casting-controversy-n1092131">she briefly accepted a gig playing a trans person</a>. That film, “Rub and Tug,” never got made sans the actress’ clout and star power.
Rowling has stayed true to her beliefs and has only grown bolder since the 2019 dustup. She trusted “Harry Potter” fans, or enough of them at least, would have her back.
She was right.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

J.K. Rowling At EE British Academy Film Awards

Expelliarmus! J.K. Rowling Disarms Her Critics Again And Again

Cancel Culture

Entertainment

Harry Potter

HBO Max

Legacy Media

Opinion

Twitter

“Harry Potter” author JK Rowling is calling out a trans activist trying to justify taking photos of himself inside women’s restrooms.
Rowling responded to a post describing the behavior of Lilly Tino, a man who identifies as a woman and frequently posts videos of himself being “misgendered” at restaurants and complaining to wait staff and his followers about it.
Tino has over 400,000 followers on TikTok and 15.8 million likes on his posts.
Lately, the activist has been <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lillytino_/video/7514325434583076139?lang=en">ranting</a> about how “trans men” shouldn’t be criticized for taking photos of themselves in the women’s restroom because celebrities do it all the time. But commenters pointed out that many of the influencer photos Tino refers to only show one person, whereas his photos from the bathroom include people in the background who are having their rights violated.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This man’s bathroom photos are trophies. He wants women and girls in the background because it proves he’s violating women’s boundaries. Without actual females there as props all he’s got is a selfie of a scary-looking creep in mouse ears, which isn’t remotely what he’s after. <a href="https://t.co/2ff9od3qMN">https://t.co/2ff9od3qMN</a>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1932749439908667690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
“This man’s bathroom photos are trophies. He wants women and girls in the background because it proves he’s violating women’s boundaries. Without actual females there as props all he’s got is a selfie of a scary-looking creep in mouse ears, which isn’t remotely what he’s after,” Rowling wrote in response to a post about Tino taking bathroom selfies at Disney.
She also responded to followers who called her out for giving him attention.
“He&#8217;s getting publicity for being a gigantic male creep who takes pictures of women and girls in what should be protected spaces. Now men will know exactly who to be on the watch for in Disneyland, while waiting for their female partners and daughters. I&#8217;d call that a win,” the billionaire British author added in a follow-up post.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=wisepops&amp;utm_campaign=dad&amp;utm_content=fathersdaygiftpopups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gift Dad an All Access Membership. Use code DAD40 at checkout to save 40%!</a>
“He has zero interest in a greater cause. He&#8217;s using &#8216;activism&#8217; as a fig leaf and a free pass for what excites him, as is the case with a load of these men. If it gives him a sexual kick he&#8217;ll keep doing it until he&#8217;s stopped,” Rowling wrote.
Rowling&#8217;s comments were in response to a post about some of the bathroom selfies Tino has been sharing with followers.
“Lilly Tino, a man who presents as a woman, has come out in defense of a series of selfies he took inside a women’s restroom at Disney World, after facing backlash from both LGBTQ+ and heterosexual communities,” the <a href="https://x.com/ImMeme0/status/1932463761312330079">original post</a> says. 
“Tino justifies his actions by comparing himself to celebrities who have previously taken photos in women’s restrooms. However, he conveniently omits that his images captured women and young girls in the background without their consent—an act that constitutes a violation of Florida’s privacy and voyeurism laws.”
The original post said there’s a “growing petition” to have Tino banned from TikTok.

JK Rowling Calls Out Trans Activist ‘Creep’ Over Women’s Bathroom Selfies

Bathrooms

TikTok

Actor Tom Felton didn’t take the bait when a reporter asked him about the controversy over JK Rowling taking a stand against radical trans activists. 
The 37-year-old celeb, who played the villain Draco Malfoy in the successful “Harry Potter” film franchise and will reprise the role for the upcoming Broadway production, was asked about the matter Sunday night at the Tony Awards. When a Variety reporter asked Felton if Rowling’s views affected him or his work, he rejected the suggestion and reiterated his support for Rowling.
&#8220;No, I can&#8217;t say it does. I&#8217;m not really that attuned to it,” the British star said. 
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&#8220;The only thing I always remind myself is that I&#8217;ve been lucky enough to travel the world. Here I am in New York,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;And I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter, and she&#8217;s responsible for that. So I&#8217;m incredibly grateful.&#8221;
Over the past five years, Rowling has faced scorn in the media and among former fans for taking the position that sex and gender are determined by biology. Most “Harry Potter” actors <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/j-k-rowling-vs-the-trans-agenda-heres-what-harry-potter-cast-members-have-said-about-the-ongoing-battle">denounced her position</a> and distanced themselves from the billionaire author, but several have come to her defense.
It all started in 2020 with a series of viral tweets from Rowling stating her position. “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,” she wrote in part at the time.
British star Daniel Radcliffe, who played the main character Harry Potter in the film series, wrote an essay for The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ-focused nonprofit, in the wake of Rowling’s viral tweets. 
“I firmly stand with the trans community,” Rupert Grint, the actor who played Ron Weasley, said in a statement at the time. 
“Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are,” Emma Watson, who played Hermione, shared on Twitter in June 2020.
“Fantastic Beasts” star Eddie Redmayne said he was pro-trans rights, but also noted that critics were being way too hard on Rowling, calling the online backlash “absolutely disgusting.”
Actor Ralph Fiennes, who plays Lord Voldemort in the “Harry Potter” franchise, has been one of Rowling’s staunchest defenders.
“I can’t understand the vitriol directed at her,” Fiennes said in a March 2021 interview. “I can understand the heat of an argument, but I find this age of accusation and the need to condemn irrational. I find the level of hatred that people express about views that differ from theirs, and the violence of language toward others, disturbing.”
Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid in the “Harry Potter” movies, also came to Rowling’s defense prior to his death in October 2022.
“I don’t think what she said was offensive, really,” he told Radio Times in 2020. “I don’t know why, but there’s a whole Twitter generation of people who hang around waiting to be offended. They wouldn’t have won the war, would they?”

Tom Felton

‘Harry Potter’ Actor Shoots Down Reporter Goading Him To Badmouth JK Rowling

'Harry Potter' Actor Shoots Down Reporter Goading Him To Badmouth JK Rowling

Author J.K. Rowling announced in a Saturday X post that she may have found the most &#8220;bat-s*** gender identity argument&#8221; yet, noting that the latest gem she&#8217;d come across had brought the Catholic Church into the discussion.
Rowling&#8217;s efforts to stand for women&#8217;s sex-based rights and private spaces have provoked ire from the radical trans activist crowd — they&#8217;ve labeled her a Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist (TERF) — and they often target her on social media with the latest arguments aimed at shaming her into agreeing with them.
The attacks are so constant that Rowling doesn&#8217;t often appear to be shocked by them — she even said once that she&#8217;d gotten so many death threats that she could paper her house with them — but she admitted on Saturday that the latest one was new to her.
&#8220;You think you’ve heard the last word in bat-s*** gender identity arguments and then you see a post saying that using the new Pope’s title instead of his birth name is exactly the same as accepting that a man is a woman if he says he is,&#8221; Rowling said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
You think you’ve heard the last word in batshit gender identity arguments and then you see a post saying that using the new Pope’s title instead of his birth name is exactly the same as accepting that a man is a woman if he says he is. <a href="https://t.co/vJRSUw29dO">pic.twitter.com/vJRSUw29dO</a>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1921238199197733149?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
When the conclave concluded on May 8, and the Vatican announced that Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago would become Pope Leo XIV, X was flooded with activists who complained that Catholics everywhere seemed to have no objection to addressing the pontiff by his new &#8220;chosen&#8221; name, but had a problem with doing the same for those who choose new names or pronouns because they identify as transgender.
A few critics other than Rowling pushed back as well, some of them noting that Prevost had not simply &#8220;self-identified&#8221; as Leo XIV to become the Pope.

JK Rowling Says She’s Found The Most ‘Bat-S*** Gender Identity’ Argument Yet

JK Rowling Says She's Found The Most 'Bat-S*** Gender Identity' Argument Yet

Gender Identity

gender ideology

Gender Pronouns

Pope Leo

“Harry Potter” author JK Rowling said that even if she had the authority to have an actor removed from the upcoming HBO television series based on her best-selling books, she would not do it over ideological differences.
“I don’t have the power to sack an actor from the series and I wouldn’t exercise it if I did,” the billionaire author <a href="https://x.com/jk_rowling/status/1919358232629297559">wrote</a> on X in response to an article about Paapa Essiedu supporting rights for people who identify as transgender. “I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I don’t have the power to sack an actor from the series and I wouldn’t exercise it if I did. I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine. <a href="https://t.co/nKcAl3gcvO">pic.twitter.com/nKcAl3gcvO</a>
&mdash; J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1919358232629297559?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Several celebrities from “Harry Potter” projects, both past and present, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/harry-potter-stars-sign-letter-supporting-trans-rights-as-jk-rowling-celebrates-u-k-court-ruling">signed</a> an open letter declaring their belief that the historic Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ruling that the definition of a woman is determined by biological sex was wrong.
Eddie Redmayne, star of the spin-off prequel franchise “Fantastic Beasts,” signed the letter, as did Essiedu, who will portray Severus Snape in the upcoming HBO series. Katie Leung, an actress from the original films, also added her name.
“We the undersigned film and television professionals stand in solidarity with the trans, nonbinary and intersex communities who have been impacted by the Supreme Court ruling on April 16,” the open letter says.
“We believe the ruling undermines the lived reality and threatens the safety of trans, non-binary and intersex people living in the UK,” it said. “Film and television are powerful tools for empathy and education, and we believe passionately in the ability of the screen to change hearts and minds. This is our opportunity to be on the right side of history.”
On Saturday, Rowling had reacted to the open letter with another X <a href="https://x.com/jk_rowling/status/1918747065460420745">post</a>. “In light of recent open letters from academia and the arts criticising the UK’s Supreme Court ruling on sex-based rights, it’s possibly worth remembering that nobody sane believes, or has ever believed, that humans can change sex, or that binary sex isn’t a material fact,” the author wrote.
&#8220;History is littered with the debris of irrational and harmful belief systems that once seemed unassailable,&#8221; she continued in the lengthy post. &#8220;As Orwell said, &#8216;Some ideas are so stupid that only intellectuals believe them.&#8217; Gender ideology may have embedded itself deeply into our institutions, where it&#8217;s been imposed, top-down, on the supposedly unenlightened, but it is not invulnerable.&#8221;
&#8220;I wonder if they ever ask themselves how they got here, and I wonder whether any of them will ever feel shame,&#8221; she concluded.
Rowling has been an outspoken critic of radical left-wing gender theory for years. She has refused to back down even as critics came after her, and she’s lost fans because of it.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
In light of recent open letters from academia and the arts criticising the UK&#39;s Supreme Court ruling on sex-based rights, it&#39;s possibly worth remembering that nobody sane believes, or has ever believed, that humans can change sex, or that binary sex isn&#39;t a material fact. These…
&mdash; J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1918747065460420745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

JK Rowling Said She ‘Wouldn’t Fire’ Actor From ‘Harry Potter’ Series For Being Pro-Trans

JK Rowling Said She 'Wouldn't Fire' Actor From 'Harry Potter' Show For Being Pro-Trans

nonbinary

Television

“Harry Potter” actors are making their position on the trans debate clear in the wake of the historic Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ruling that the definition of a woman is determined by biological sex.
Several celebrities from “Harry Potter” projects both past and present signed an open letter declaring their belief that the ruling was wrong.
Eddie Redmayne, star of the spin-off prequel franchise “Fantastic Beasts,” signed the letter, as did Paapa Essiedu, who will portray Severus Snape in the upcoming “Harry Potter” television adaptation from HBO. Katie Leung, an actress from the original films, also added her name to the document, per <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/uk/media/article/harry-potter-actors-letter-trans-supreme-court-ruling-gc3hjxjqj">The Times of London</a>.
“We the undersigned film and television professionals stand in solidarity with the trans, nonbinary and intersex communities who have been impacted by the Supreme Court ruling on April 16,” the open letter says.
“We believe the ruling undermines the lived reality and threatens the safety of trans, non-binary and intersex people living in the UK,” it said. “Film and television are powerful tools for empathy and education, and we believe passionately in the ability of the screen to change hearts and minds. This is our opportunity to be on the right side of history.”
Redmayne, Essiedu, Leung and more than 2,000 other individuals added their names to the letter. Other celebrity signatories include “The Last of Us” star Bella Ramsey, “The Brutalist” actor and Taylor Swift’s ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn, and “Bridgerton” actress Nicola Coughlan.
Meanwhile, Rowling, who has been openly critical of the radical trans agenda for years, has been celebrating the Supreme Court ruling as a great victory.
“Think I might be having a cigar later,” Rowling shared on X April 16 after the ruling was handed down.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I love it when a plan comes together.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SupremeCourt?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SupremeCourt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WomensRights?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WomensRights</a> <a href="https://t.co/agOkWmhPgb">pic.twitter.com/agOkWmhPgb</a>
&mdash; J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1912644919103004807?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“It took three extraordinary, tenacious Scottish women with an army behind them to get this case heard by the Supreme Court and, in winning, they’ve protected the rights of women and girls across the UK,” the billionaire “Harry Potter” author wrote in a follow-up later. “I’m so proud to know you.”
Leftist fans and trans activists were furious that Rowling would be involved in the upcoming TV adaptation, but HBO <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hbo-stands-by-j-k-rowling-despite-pressure-to-denounce-her-transgender-comments?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=HBO+Stands+By+J.K.+Rowling+Despite+Pressure+To+Denounce+Her+Transgender+Comments">released a statement</a> last fall confirming she would be involved despite the backlash.
“We are proud to once again tell the story of Harry Potter — the heartwarming books that speak to power of friendship, resolve and acceptance,” the statement said. “J.K. Rowling has a right to express her personal views. We will remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.”

Eddie Redmayne

‘Harry Potter’ Stars Sign Letter Supporting Trans Rights As JK Rowling Celebrates U.K. Court Ruling

'Harry Potter' Stars Sign Letter Supporting Trans Rights As JK Rowling Celebrates U.K. Court Ruling

Hollywood

Author JK Rowling responded to a comment from Boy George, the former lead singer of Culture Club, claiming &#8220;she hates men,&#8221; which is just a small part of the backlash she’s received since the United Kingdom&#8217;s Supreme Court ruled that the definition of a woman is determined by biological sex.
The billionaire “Harry Potter” author has been a controversial figure for years as critics labeled her a TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) for stating her belief that men cannot become women. These criticisms went mainstream again last week when actor Pedro Pascal <a href="https://fox59.com/news/entertainment/last-of-us-actor-pedro-pascal-calls-harry-potter-author-heinous-loser/">accused</a> Rowling of exhibiting “heinous loser behavior” for celebrating the court ruling.
Pascal, who has a trans-identifying sibling, recently attended the U.K. premiere of Marvel’s “Thunderbolts” wearing a “Protect the Dolls” T-shirt, which was created to benefit a charity for trans-identifying people. The actor spoke out about these issues in the past, saying, “A world without trans people has never existed and never will… I can’t think of anything more vile and small than terrorizing the smallest, most vulnerable community of people who want nothing from you, except for the right to exist.”
Boy George, 63, responded to a user on X who had commented on a post about Pascal. The original post stated that Pascal &#8220;doesn&#8217;t hate women.”
Boy George replied, “Stop this nonsense that if you don&#8217;t agree with [JK Rowling] you hate women. She hates men. This is where this truth lies. She cannot differentiate between a &#8216;trans&#8217; woman and a biological male. Which is weird with her imagination?”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🙄I&#8217;m married to a man, George. I do not hate men. I simply live in reality where men &#8211; however they identify &#8211; commit 98% of sexual assaults, and 88% of victims are female. Trans-identified men are no less likely than other kinds of men to pose a risk to women or girls. <a href="https://t.co/0zC3p99WyL">https://t.co/0zC3p99WyL</a>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1916282326205579346?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
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And then Rowling weighed in, shooting down the singer’s assertions. “I&#8217;m married to a man, George. I do not hate men,” the author wrote along with an eye roll emoji. “I simply live in reality where men &#8211; however they identify &#8211; commit 98% of sexual assaults, and 88% of victims are female. Trans-identified men are no less likely than other kinds of men to pose a risk to women or girls.”
&#8220;I hate to point this out*, but accusing me of hating men because I don&#8217;t think trans women should be given access to all women-only spaces does rather suggest that (in spite of your feverish assertions to the contrary) you&#8217;re well aware that these are, in fact, men. *I don&#8217;t,&#8221; she <a href="https://x.com/jk_rowling/status/1916456363393155436">wrote</a> in a follow-up X post.

JK Rowling Responds To Boy George Claiming ‘She Hates Men’

JK Rowling Responds To Boy George Claiming She 'Hates' Men

Pedro Pascal

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