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Harry Potter and the Vocal Ally!
Harry Potter alum Daniel Radcliffe got candid about his continued support for the trans community this week, detailing how the wizarding franchise partially inspired him to speak out against author J.K. Rowling ’s inflammatory comments targeting transgender people.
“The reason I was 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,” the actor explained in an interview published earlier this week.
Upon seeing how “hurt” many LGBTQAI+ fans felt due to Rowling’s remarks, Radcliffe said he decided to take a stand, reiterating his support.
“I was like, I wanted them to know that not everybody in the franchise felt that way,” the star recalled. “And that was really important.”
In June 2020, Rowling, who penned the Harry Potter books, received major backlash after sharing a tweet slamming the gender-inclusive phrase: “people who menstruate.”
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Despite sparking ire among fans and celebrities alike, Rowling doubled down on her inciting remarks, a move that prompted Radcliffe to issue a statement rebutting the writer’s apparent beliefs.
“Transgender women are women,” the now 33-year-old star wrote in a response to Rowling’s remarks. “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.”
Beyond showing solidarity with Harry Potter fans, Radcliffe also cited his long-running work with The Trevor Project — a non-profit suicide prevention organization aimed at aiding members of the LGBTQAI+ community — as another factor that provoked him to speak out.
“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,” Radcliffe recalled. “But it’s not mine to guess what’s going on in someone else’s head.”
Radcliffe’s comments first appeared in IndieWire.
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