Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
A number of actors endorsed an open letter declaring their support for transgender rights.
J.K. Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, stated that even if she had the authority to remove an actor from the upcoming HBO series based on her popular books, she would not do so over ideological disagreements.
In response to an article about Paapa Essiedu voicing support for transgender rights, Rowling wrote on X, “I don’t have the power to fire an actor from the series, and I wouldn’t do so if I did. I don’t believe in stripping people of their jobs or livelihoods for holding legally protected beliefs that differ from mine.”
Several stars from the Harry Potter franchise, both past and present, signed an open letter expressing their disagreement with the UK Supreme Court ruling that defines a woman based on biological sex.
Among the signatories were Eddie Redmayne, who stars in the Fantastic Beasts prequel series, and Paapa Essiedu, who will play Severus Snape in the upcoming HBO series. Katie Leung, an actress from the original Harry Potter films, also added her name.
The letter reads, “We, the undersigned film and television professionals, stand in solidarity with the trans, nonbinary, and intersex communities impacted by the April 16 Supreme Court ruling.”
It continues, “We believe this ruling undermines the lived experiences and threatens the safety of trans, non-binary, and intersex individuals in the UK. Film and television are powerful tools for fostering empathy and education, and we are passionate about the potential of the screen to change hearts and minds. This is our chance to be on the right side of history.”
On Saturday, Rowling responded to the open letter with a post on X. She wrote, “In light of recent open letters from the arts and academia criticizing the UK’s Supreme Court ruling on sex-based rights, it’s worth remembering that no rational person believes, or has ever believed, that humans can change sex, or that binary sex isn’t a material fact.”
She continued, “History is full of the remnants of irrational and harmful belief systems that once seemed unquestionable. As Orwell said, ‘Some ideas are so stupid that only intellectuals believe them.’ Gender ideology may have become deeply embedded in our institutions, where it has been enforced from the top down on the supposedly unenlightened, but it is not invincible.”
She concluded, “I wonder if they ever reflect on how they arrived at this point, and whether any of them will ever feel any shame.”
