J.K. Rowling does not seem ready to forgive stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, the actors who breathed life into two of the main characters in the onscreen adaption of her Harry Potter series.
In the latest online debate Rowling has involved herself in, the acclaimed author appeared to show her dissatisfaction with Daniel and Emma, who have previously waved their supportive flags for transgender rights.
Rowling’s rebuke came as she wrote a string of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, about the release of the long-awaited Cass Review. The review, by Pediatrician Dr. Hilary Cass, was published after an analysis of gender identity services for minors in the UK. The findings of Hilary’s report concluded that there was a “lack of high-quality research” on the effects of puberty blockers on children.
J.K. Rowling spoke about "celebrity mouthpieces" after the recently released Cass Review in the UK, which said children were provided gender-affirming care despite a “lack of high-quality research”
Image credits: Jim Spellman/Getty Images
Following the release of the Cass Review, Rowling took to social media to express her “anger” over what she called “severe medical malpractice.”
“Even if you don't feel ashamed of cheerleading for what now looks like severe medical malpractice, even if you don't want to accept that you might have been wrong, where's your sense of self-preservation? The bandwagon you hopped on so gladly is hurtling towards a cliff,” Rowling wrote in a series of tweets on Wednesday.
In response to a tweet from a social media user, the author appeared to suggest she wouldn't accept an apology from Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson for cozying up "to a movement intent on eroding women's hard-won rights"
“If I sound angry, it's because I'm bloody angry. I read Cass this morning and my anger's been mounting all day. Kids have been irreversibly harmed, and thousands are complicit, not just medics, but the celebrity mouthpieces, unquestioning media and cynical corporations,” she added.
Her jibe at Daniel and Emma came after a fan commented on her tweets saying: “Just waiting for Dan and Emma to give you a very public apology ... safe in the knowledge that you will forgive them.”
The author said celebs who "used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors can save their apologies"
The multi-millionaire author responded to the tweet by hitting out at the stars, suggesting she wouldn’t accept their apology.
“Not safe, I'm afraid,” Rowling wrote. “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.”
Both Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson released statements back in 2020 when J.K. Rowling was embroiled in a controversy over her comments about transgender people
Image credits: Mike Marsland/Getty Images
Back in 2020, Rowling was at the center of a controversy that sparked over her comments about transgender people. As she retweeted an op-ed piece about "people who menstruate," the Hogwarts architect had an issue with the article not using the term "women."
"‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?" she tweeted at the time.
Thousands of people left their opinions in the comment section of her post, with one saying, "So what you’re saying is that all human who menstruate are women and those who don’t are not? We live in a time where people fight hard to change narrow terms to be more including. Why do you fight against this? Why is it so important to you to hold on to your outdated believes?"
Rowling's explosive tweet in 2020 received a flood of comments from disappointed fans
Another wrote, "I used to love your books, now I’m just so disappointed in you. Your unapologetic ignorance is vile and deeply hurtful."
"To the trans and non-binary youth having a hard time because they found out one of their favorite authors created an entire fictional universe but doesn’t have space for them, I feel you. But you are real and valid. I love you more than Harry, Hermione, Neville and Ron combined," another wrote.
Despite receiving a lot of backlash, Rowling was resolute with her opinion and reiterated her stand in subsequent tweets.
"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," the author said in another tweet.
Harry Potter star, Daniel Radcliffe, wrote an essay addressing the author's remarks and showed his support for the transgender community
Image credits: Jon Furniss/WireImage via Getty Images
Following the firestorm over her remarks, Daniel released an essay at the time for The Trevor Project to show his support for the transgender community and apologized for the “pain” caused by Rowling’s words.
Emma also released a statement at the time to show her support for the transgender community and said, “Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are.”
“I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are,” she added.
J.K. Rowling's representative told Bored Panda that the author declined to comment.
Bored Panda reached out to representatives of Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson but has not yet received a response.
Some fans accused the Hogwarts architect of using her "huge platform" to spread "hate"
