Back in 2020, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling lost a lot of fans after she expressed (and doubled-down on) what were deemed to be pretty blatant anti-trans opinions on social media.
While some defended her against the flurry of backlash, others felt the need to speak out by offering opposing viewpoints - including the actor who played the boy wizard in the Harry Potter movies, Daniel Radcliffe.
Radcliffe penned an open letter in which he proclaimed, “Transgender women are women,” and in a new interview with IndieWire, the Weird Al star explained why he decided to challenge Rowling in such a public manner.
“The reason I felt very, very much as though I needed to say something when I did was because, particularly since finishing ‘Potter,’ I’ve met so many queer and trans kids and young people who had a huge amount of identification with Potter on that,” Radcliffe said. “And so seeing them hurt on that day I was like, I wanted them to know that not everybody in the franchise felt that way. And that was really important.”
Radcliffe's letter was published on the official website of The Trevor Project, an organization that runs the world’s largest suicide prevention hotline for LGBTQ+ youth.
“It was really important as I’ve worked with the Trevor Project for more than 10 years, and so I don’t think I would’ve been able to look myself in the mirror had I not said anything,” he added. “But it’s not mine to guess what’s going on in someone else’s head.”
Other cast members have followed-suit, but there are those who feel the torrent of abuse Rowling received was unwarranted, including Voldemort actor Ralph Feinnes.
How do you guys feel about Rowling's views and Radcliffe's rebuttal? Be sure to drop us a comment down below.
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