Daniel Radcliffe ‘Saddened’ By JK Rowling’s Stance On Transgender Issues

Daniel Radcliffe has admitted that Harry Potter author JK Rowling’s continued stance on transgender issues “makes me really sad”.

In the years since, Rowling has repeatedly faced criticism for her views on issues relating to trans people, recently going as far as deliberately misgendering prominent transgender women.

When one of her followers (apparently using the account name @FarRightHooligan) claimed that Daniel and his co-star Emma Watson owed the Harry Potter creator a “very public apology” for having spoken out against her views on trans people, Rowling responded: “Celebs who cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women’s hard-won rights and who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors can save their apologies for traumatised detransitioners and vulnerable women reliant on single-sex spaces.”

It’s worth noting that neither Daniel nor Emma had ever indicated that they were going to make an apology for their support of trans people.

JK Rowling
JK Rowling

Neil Mockford via Getty Images

During a new interview with The Atlantic, Daniel admitted that seeing Rowling’s views “makes me really sad, ultimately”.

“I do look at the person that I met, the times that we met, and the books that she wrote and the world that she created, and all of that is to me so deeply empathic,” he explained.

“Jo, obviously Harry Potter would not have happened without her, so nothing in my life would have probably happened the way it is without that person. But that doesn’t mean that you owe the things you truly believe to someone else for your entire life.”

Asked about her “save their apologies” comment, Daniel responded simply: “I will continue to support the rights of all LGBTQ people, and have no further comment than that.”

In his initial statement, released via the LGBTQ+ suicide prevention charity The Trevor Project, Daniel wrote: “I realise that certain press outlets will probably want to paint this as in-fighting between JK Rowling and myself, but that is really not what this is about, nor is it what’s important right now.

“While Jo is unquestionably responsible for the course my life has taken, as someone who has been honored to work with and continues to contribute to The Trevor Project for the last decade, and just as a human being, I feel compelled to say something at this moment.

“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.”

Reflecting on his statement in 2022, Daniel insisted: “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.”

Help and support:

  • The Gender Trust supports anyone affected by gender identity | 01527 894 838
  • Mermaids offers information, support, friendship and shared experiences for young people with gender identity issues | 0208 1234819
  • LGBT Youth Scotland is the largest youth and community-based organisation for LGBT people in Scotland. Text 07786 202 370
  • Gires provides information for trans people, their families and professionals who care for them | 01372 801554
  • Depend provides support, advice and information for anyone who knows, or is related to, a transsexual person in the UK
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Harry Potter Fan Stunned To Discover Value Of Battered Books On Antiques Roadshow

If you’ve got some very old copies of the Harry Potter books stuffed away somewhere then you might want to dig them out.

One fan, Helen, was left stunned during an appearance on Sunday’s Antiques Roadshow when she brought along a battered old copy of the Philosopher’s Stone (complete with detached cover) to be valued.

She also brought along a hardback copy of The Chamber Of Secrets, which was in better shape.

Despite their condition, Potter fan Helen was told by the show’s expert Justin Croft that they could fetch thousands of pounds, despite the state of them.

Antiques Roadshow
Antiques Roadshow

“These are possibly the worst condition I’ve seen on the Roadshow,” Justin told her.

Crucially, the Chamber of Secrets was a first-edition – and both books had been signed by author JK Rowling.

Helen explained: “Growing up, Harry Potter meant an awful lot to me and my family.

“The Harry Potter paperback I have there I was given in my stocking one year for Christmas and when I started reading it I couldn’t put it down.

“When the second book came out JK Rowling came to the Edinburgh book festival and she did a signing afterwards. She signed it for me.”

Viewers then saw the Harry Potter author’s message, which read: “To Helen – This is the condition I like to see my books in! (Read).”

Antiques Roadshow
Antiques Roadshow

Referring to the first book, Justin said: “I think I would say £1,000 to £1,500 on this which is really just for the inscription.”

Speaking about the second book, he added: “And this, being a first edition albeit without the dust jacket, £3,000 to £3,500.”

A stunned Helen appeared momentarily speechless before replying: “Thank you very much.”

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Putin Tries To Stoke Culture Wars By Citing JK Rowling Being ‘Cancelled’

Russian president Vladimir Putin has been accused of a thinly-veiled attempt to divide the West by claiming his country was being victimised by “cancel culture” after its invasion of Ukraine.

Putin likened the world’s condemnation of Russia to the backlash that Harry Potter author JK Rowling received for controversial comments about the transgender community. Rowling was “cancelled”, Putin said, “just because she didn’t satisfy the demands of gender rights”, according to an interpreter’s translation.

He also claimed Western countries were trying to cancel the works of composers Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich and Rachmaninoff.

On Twitter, Rowling responded to Putin’s suggestion, and shared an article about incarcerated Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

She wrote: “Critiques of Western cancel culture are possibly not best made by those currently slaughtering civilians for the crime of resistance, or who jail and poison their critics.”

The writer also shared the hashtag #IStandWithUkraine.

Liberal Deocrat MP and ex-leader Tim Farron led the chorus urging people to avoid “amplifying (Russian) propaganda just because they affirm things that you already think”.

In a subsequent tweet, Rowling detailed the work her Lumos charity is doing in Ukraine.

“Children trapped in orphanages and other institutions are exceptionally vulnerable right now,” she said.

“Thank you so, so much to everyone who has already donated to Lumos’s Ukraine appeal.”

Rowling said she was personally matching all donations to the Lumos emergency appeal up to £1 million.

Putin is reported as saying: “They cancelled Joanne Rowling recently, the children’s author.

“Her books are published all over the world. Just because she did not satisfy the demands of gender rights.

“They are trying to cancel our country. I am talking about the progressive discrimination of everything to do with Russia – this trend that is unfolding in a number of Western states.”

Rowling in June 2020 wrote an essay explaining how she was partly motivated to speak about transgender issues because of her experience of domestic abuse and sexual assault.

Critics have accused the writer of being transphobic, an allegation she strongly denies.

Her critics have included Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint.

But other commentators, including journalist Owen Jones, argued Putin was not be especially sophisticated.

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JK Rowling Is Releasing Unpublished Story The Ickabog She Wrote 10 Years Ago

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