Daniel Radcliffe Responds To JK Rowling's Recent Criticism Of His Pro-Trans Comments

Summary JK Rowling's anti-trans comments sparked controversy in 2020, leading to backlash from Harry Potter stars like Daniel Radcliffe.

Radcliffe expressed his disappointment in Rowling's views on the trans community but pledged his support for LGBTQ rights.

The Harry Potter franchise stars continue to speak out against Rowling's controversial remarks, emphasizing their support for trans people.

English actor Daniel Radcliffe responds to criticism leveled at him by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling regarding his comments on her anti-trans rhetoric. Radcliffe and Rowling both share an extended history, as the former gained his big break at a young age playing the titular character in the latter’s famous seven-volume fantasy series which was adapted for the big screen. In 2020, Rowling came under fire for controversial tweets that she posted about the transgender community which caused fans and stars of the Harry Potter series, including Radcliffe, to speak out against the author. Since then, she has only doubled-down further on her previous sentiments.

Now, in a recent interview with The Atlantic, Radcliffe expressed his disappointment with Rowling’s anti-trans comments while also doubling down on his initial position and pledging his support for the rights of all LGBTQ people. The 34-year-old also added that he felt the need to speak because he wanted to set the record straight that Rowling’s views about the trans community do not represent those of everybody associated with the Harry Potter franchise. Read his full comments below:

“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. I’d worked with the Trevor Project for 12 years, and it would have seemed like, I don’t know, immense cowardice to me to not say something. I wanted to try and help people that had been negatively affected by the comments… and to say that if those are Jo’s views, then they are not the views of everybody associated with the Potter franchise. There’s a version of ‘Are these three kids ungrateful brats?’ that [the press] have always wanted to write, and they were finally able to. So, good for them, I guess,” he said. “Jo, obviously Harry Potter would not have happened without her, so nothing in my life would have probably happened the way it is without that person. But that doesn’t mean that you owe the things you truly believe to someone else for your entire life. I will continue to support the rights of all LGBTQ people, and have no further comment than that.”

Much Of The Harry Potter Cast Has Spoken Out Against Rowling

A few weeks ago, Rowling responded to an X (Twitter) user who mentioned that they were waiting for Radcliffe and Emma Watson to give her a very public apology regarding their statements against Rowling, safe in the knowledge that the author would forgive them. In response, Rowling stated that celebs who have “cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women's hard-won rights” can save their apologies.

"I will continue to support the rights of all LGBTQ people, and have no further comment than that." - Daniel Radcliffe

Rowling’s controversy regarding the trans community dates back to June 2020 precisely when the famous British author retweeted an op-ed piece on her X (formerly Twitter) account which discussed a more equal post-COVID 19 world for “people who menstruate.” The author took an issue with the op-ed piece’s use of language and retorted saying: “People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”

Related All Daniel Radcliffe Movies Ranked Throughout his career, Daniel Radcliffe has played a wide range of movie roles, from Harry Potter himself to an all-out villain in The Lost City.

Following her tweet, Rowling came under heavy criticism from the trans community, and her fans. She, however, doubled down, explaining her stance in a series of follow-up tweets that affirmed her initial position. This drew even more criticism, this time, even from the Harry Potter stars. Radcliffe was the first to release a statement regarding Rowling’s comments. The star aligned himself with the trans community and apologized to fans who felt their experience of Rowling’s work had been tarnished or diminished. Aside from Radcliffe, other stars like Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have also spoken out against Rowling.

Source: The Atlantic