“Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling continues to take heat for arguing against “erasing the concept of sex” or biological gender, and even the actor that played the lead in the movies about her books has condemned her comments.
Daniel Radcliffe penned an essay wherein he acknowledged that he has Rowling to thank for his success, but pushed back against her statement while insisting: “Transgender women are women.”
What are the details?
Over the weekend, Rowling tweeted, “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.”
Social justice warriors pounced on Rowling’s comments, attempting to “cancel” her over her views.
Radcliffe reacted in a post published Monday on the website of The Trevor Project, an organization that provides “crisis intervention and suicide prevention services” to LGBTQ youth.
The actor — who has been involved with The Trevor Project for years — wrote, “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.”
He continued, “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 also acknowledged “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.”
He added, “While Jo is unquestionably responsible for the course my life has taken…I feel compelled to say something at this moment.”
But he went on to apologize to anyone hurt by Rowling’s remarks, 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.”