\ What’s up guys, it’s Emile Ennis Jr. with Clevver News, and Daniel Radcliffe posted
a lengthy rebuttal to Harry Potter author J.K.
Rowling’s transphobic tweets, and It.
Was.
Everything.
So apparently just because J.K.
Rowling managed to lead Harry Potter to safety after seven suspenseful books, doesn’t exactly
mean his life is fully indebted to her.
This fact was proven true on Monday when J.K. felt the need to ring in Pride Month, AND
a time when the world is fighting racial injustice, with a few thoughts on trans women that came
off completely transphobic.
This all started when she shared an article to Twitter called, “Creating a More Equal
Post-COVID-19 World For People Who Menstruate,” but what really sparked outrage was the phrase
“people who menstruate.”
\ Why, she felt the need to share this and NOT
think she’d receive so much backlash, I’m still at a loss, but for being such a world-renowned
best-selling author, girl does NOT know how to read a room.
Along with the article, J.K. also wrote, “‘People who menstruate.’
I’m sure there used to be a word for those people.
Someone help me out.
Wumben?
Wimpund?
Woomud?”
She then went on a lengthy Twitter rant on the topic of ‘same-sex’, writing QUOTE,
“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.”
She added, “The idea that women like me, who’ve been empathetic to trans people for
decades, feeling kinship because they’re vulnerable in the same way as women - ie,
to male violence - ‘hate’ trans people because they think sex is real and has lived
consequences - is a nonsense.”
And to end her controversial statement, she added that although she respects every trans
person’s right to live any way that feels authentic to them, she said, “My life has
been shaped by being female.
I do not believe it’s hateful to say so.”
To nobody’s surprise, J.K.
Rowling’s thoughts were met with an overwhelming amount of criticism from fans who are now
labeling her comments as ‘transphobic.’
Many users clapped back with responses that completely counteracted what Jo was saying.
“Jo” Is J.K.
Rowlings nickname, btw! like one user who wrote, “How can someone who had enough imagination
to write one of the best selling fantasy novels have such a narrow mind?
'Erasing' the concept of sex doesn't denigrate human beings with ovaries it just would make
all equal!
If you @jk_rowling believe this you're just a supremacist!
Another fan laid out the cold hard facts for J.K., saying, “I know you know this because
you have been told over and over and over again, but transgender men can menstruate.
Non-binary people menstruate.
I, a 37-year old woman with a uterus, have not menstruated in a decade.
Women are not defined by their periods.”
Singer Mary Lambert also shamed her for THIS “issue” being what she’s willing to
fight for, writing, “Trans women are women and they are fighting for their lives.
When you push this trans exclusionary agenda, you make their lives infinitely more difficult.
Shame on you.”
She went on to add, “You have power and influence.
Why would you do this?
What does it achieve?
Do you feel like more of a woman when you punch down?
Are you threatened?
Some trans men menstruate.
Why does that affect you?
Why do you want to police that?”
Jo’s tweets also caught the attention of the official Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against
Defamation, who not only revealed that in 2020, there is “no excuse for targeting
trans people,” but they also suggested a few organizations to follow that support Black
trans people.
After hearing about the feathers that Jo had ruffled up all over social media, Harry Potter
star Daniel Radcliffe then responded to her comments in a short essay posted to the Trevor
Project’s website.
And really quick, for those of you who aren’t familiar with the Trevor Project is an empowering
national organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ
people under 25 who don’t generally have access to those resources.
Daniel started off his essay by noting that while J.K.
Rowling is unquestionably responsible for the course his life has taken, he feels compelled
to say something as a human, and as someone who has worked so closely with The Trevor
Project for the last decade.
He 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.”
Daniel then cited that 78% of transgender and nonbinary youth have reported they’ve
been discriminated against due to their gender identity, adding, “It’s clear that we
need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities,
and not cause further harm.”
And as his closing statement, he issued an apology to the fans whose love for the Harry
Potter series has now been damaged, and who have single-handedly lived through the constant
discrimination and consequences of being trans.
He said QUOTE, “I really hope that you don’t entirely lose what was valuable in these stories
to you.
If these books taught you that love is the strongest force in the universe; if they taught
you that strength is found in diversity; if you believe that a particular character is
trans, nonbinary, or gender fluid, or that they are gay or bisexual; if you found anything
in these stories that resonated with you and helped you at any time in your life — then
that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred.
And in my opinion nobody can touch that.
It means to you what it means to you and I hope that these comments will not taint that
too much.”
Leave it to Harry Potter to once again COME THRU, as Daniel Radcliffe pretty much summed
up his thoughts in a perfectly tasteful way that was exactly the type of informative,
insightful response the world could desperately use right now.
And if you are seeking more information, Daniel also shared a link in his essay to further
educate yourselves on transgender and nonbinary identites, so I highly suggest you go check
that out.
On that note, let’s celebrate Pride Month with some positive content, so click right
over here to see all the LGBTQ+ celebrities who are showing support for the Black Lives
Matter movement.
And be sure to let me know all your thoughts on Daniel’s response to J.K. down here in
the comments.
I’m your host Emile Ennis Jr., see you next time.