Celebrities Who Have Called Out J.K. Rowling

Feelings Drama

Transcript

00:00J.K. Rowling has created one of the most revolutionary magical worlds in modern young adult literature.

00:07That being said, Rowling's own opinions have been known to cause not only Twitter wars,

00:11but full-blown controversy.

00:13Let's take a look at some celebs who have called out the Harry Potter writer.

00:18In June 2020, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling faced backlash for a series of tweets that

00:23suggest she doesn't believe trans women are women.

00:26In response to a headline referencing people who menstruate, Rowling wrote,

00:30"...I'm sure there used to be a word for those people.

00:33Someone help me out.

00:34Wombin?

00:35Wimpund?

00:36Wombud?"

00:37Basically, Rowling suggested that to be called a woman, one must menstruate.

00:40The author expanded on her beliefs in a Twitter thread that became very controversial.

00:45Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe responded on the Trevor Project website, an organization

00:50that provides essential support for LGBTQIA youth.

00:54Radcliffe said in the statement,

00:55"...I feel compelled to say something at this moment.

00:58Transgender women are women.

01:00Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people, and goes

01:05against all advice given by professional healthcare associations who have far more expertise on

01:10this subject matter than either Joe or I."

01:13Radcliffe encourages people to be better allies, shares informational resources, and assures fans

01:18that the positive messages they may have taken from the books are still valid.

01:22He wrote,

01:23If you found anything in these stories that resonated with you and helped you at any time

01:27in your life, then that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred.

01:32Actress Sarah Paulson was quite explicit when expressing her feelings about J.K. Rowling's

01:37opinions.

01:38She tweeted, quote,

01:39"...goodnight and shut up," and tagged the author in response to Rowling's tweet claiming,

01:43"...if sex isn't real, the lived reality of women globally is erased.

01:47I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many

01:52to meaningfully discuss their lives.

01:54It isn't hate to speak the truth."

01:56Fellow authors have also been telling Rowling how they feel on Twitter, even if less explicitly.

02:02When The Shining author Stephen King retweeted a quote Rowling had shared, she thanked him

02:07for his support.

02:08The quote from feminist Andrea Dworkin read,

02:11"...Men often react to women's words, speaking and writing, as if they were acts of violence.

02:17Sometimes men react to women's words with violence.

02:19It isn't hateful for women to speak about their own experiences, nor do they deserve shaming

02:24for doing so."

02:25Rowling responded on Twitter with a since-deleted tweet which read,

02:29"...I've always revered Stephen King, but today my love reached, maybe not Annie Wilkes

02:34levels, but new heights."

02:36However, King's retweet of Rowling prompted his fans to ask if he supported trans women,

02:41given Rowling's beliefs.

02:42King subsequently tweeted,

02:44"...yes, trans women are women."

02:47Rowling's tweet praising King suddenly disappeared.

02:49"...because, because I don't see why I should say that."

02:54Broadway star Anthony Rapp has tweeted several essays about why J.K.

02:58Rowling's beliefs are problematic, and has encouraged fans to listen to trans people instead

03:03of a famous author.

03:05Rapp wrote on Twitter,

03:06"...She has such a powerful voice.

03:08Why is she using that voice to die on a hill of transphobia?

03:11It is damaging and sad and makes zero sense.

03:14Is it really her belief that trans women somehow threaten her own selfhood?

03:18What is she so f***ing afraid of?"

03:20He also shared a thread supporting the idea that biological sex is not as cut and dry

03:24as some people think it is, and another that corrected the half-truths in Rowling's rebuttal

03:29essay, Point by Point.

03:31J.K.

03:32Rowling published an essay defending her views and addressing the backlash she's received

03:36on her website.

03:37In her essay, Rowling claimed that some people think they need to transition genders in response

03:42to oppression.

03:43She wrote,

03:44"...it's been clear to me for a while that the new trans activism is having, or is likely

03:48to have, if all its demands are met, a significant impact on many of the causes I support, because

03:54it's pushing to erode the legal definition of sex and replace it with gender."

03:59Although he didn't mention Rowling by name at all, one day after the essay was published,

04:03comedian and American Horror Story actor Billy Eichner tweeted,

04:07"...trans women are women, trans men are men, non-binary people are non-binary, and I will

04:12never understand why some people are bothered by this.

04:16Life is short, let people be who they are, it doesn't concern you."

04:20Harry Potter franchise stars Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, who played sweethearts Ron and

04:25Hermione in the films, made individual statements in support of trans rights.

04:29Grint said in a statement,

04:30"...I firmly stand with the trans community.

04:34Trans women are women, trans men are men.

04:36We should all be entitled to live with love and without judgment."

04:40On Twitter, Watson declared,

04:41"...trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being

04:46constantly questioned or told they aren't who they say they are."

04:50She also had a message for her trans followers and wrote in a tweet,

04:53"...I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you, and love you for

04:58who you are."

04:59Hogwarts students aren't the only stars condemning JK Rowling's words.

05:04Eddie Redmayne, who starred in the Harry Potter spinoff Fantastic Beasts and received backlash

05:10for portraying a transgender woman in The Danish Girl, gave a statement of support for the

05:14transgender community.

05:16Redmayne told Deadline in June 2020,

05:18"...respect for transgender people remains a cultural imperative, and over the years I have

05:24been trying to constantly educate myself.

05:26This is an ongoing process.

05:28As someone who has worked with both JK Rowling and members of the trans community, I wanted

05:32to make it absolutely clear where I stand.

05:35I disagree with Joe's comments.

05:37Trans women are women, trans men are men, and non-binary identities are valid."

05:43His statement ended by saying that questioning trans identities often leads to violence and

05:48abuse.

05:49Redmayne explained,

05:50"...I would never want to speak on behalf of the community, but I do know that my dear

05:54transgender friends and colleagues are tired of this constant questioning of their identities,

05:59which all too often results in violence and abuse.

06:02They simply want to live their lives peacefully, and it's time to let them do so."

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