Eddie Redmayne Joins Daniel Radcliffe in Rejecting J.K. Rowling’s Transphobic Tweets
Eddie Redmayne has officially joined Harry Potter alum, Daniel Radcliffe, in speaking out against J.K. Rowling’s transphobic tweets. Rowling, who is the creator of both the Harry Potter franchise and the Fantastic Beasts franchise has a history of making transphobic tweets. But, this time, even those who have worked closely with her in the past are speaking up about her comments.
On June 6, 2020, Rowling took to her Twitter page to criticize the usage of the phrase “people who menstruate” which, of course, is more inclusive to trans people and non-binary people. When she received backlash, the Harry Potter author doubled down on her statements, producing many transphobic tweets while still citing that she was respectful of the way trans people have chosen to live their lives.
‘Fantastic Beasts’ star Eddie Redmayne rejects J.K. Rowling’s tweets
Seeing the attention that Rowling’s tweets were receiving, Redmayne felt compelled to make a statement. As he is often associated with her because of his starring roles in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, he wanted to make sure his fans knew exactly where he stood. “Respect for transgender people remains a cultural imperative, and over the years I have been trying to constantly educate myself. This is an ongoing process,” Redmayne began in a statement provided to Variety.
“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. 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,” Redmayne concluded.
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Daniel Radcliffe speaks out about Rowling’s tweets
Of course, Redmayne isn’t the only person in the Harry Potter universe that has condemned Rowling’s tweets. On June 9, 2020, Radcliffe responded to the tweets by posting a letter on The Trevor Project’s Website. The Trevor Project is a national organization that aids in crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth. Radcliffe has been affiliated with the organization for a decade.
Like Redmayne, Radcliffe also validated the trans experience and outright rejected the tweets that the Harry Potter author felt compelled to write. “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,” the 30-year-old actor shared.
How is this affecting the ‘Harry Potter’ legacy?
Hopefully, with both Radcliffe and Redmayne speaking out, Rowling will take more time to consider how hurtful her comments are to trans people and non-binary people. As a global phenomenon, Harry Potter, and all of its spinoffs, serve as a beacon of light to millions of people. By failing to acknowledge people’s existence, Rowling is actively dimming that light for many if not extinguishing it altogether. Perhaps with time and education, Rowling will be able to understand how harmful her tweets are. Until then, we can only hope she starts limiting her time on Twitter.
