J.K. Rowling has hinted that she will never forgive Emma Watson or Daniel Radcliffe.
Rowling, 58, is the author of the ‘Harry Potter’ series, which has sold millions of copies worldwide.
It has also evolved into one of the most profitable film franchises in history.
The franchise has been fraught with controversy in recent years due to the author’s thoughts on s3x and gen:der.
Rowling has now spoken out against two of the film’ major stars, declaring she will never forgive them.
It all began in 2020, when Rowling retweeted an op-ed about ‘those who ᴍᴇɴsᴛʀᴜᴀᴛᴇ’, and she looked to be upset that it didn’t say ‘women’.
The author would tweet, “‘People who ᴍᴇɴsᴛʀᴜᴀᴛᴇ’.”
“I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”
J.K. Rowling’s views on s3x and gen:der have provoked controversy. Credit: Alamy
Despite receiving a lot of outrage, Rowling refused to back down from her statements, saying, “If s** isn’t real, there’s no same-s** attraction. If s** isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased.
“I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of s** removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.”
Under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, Rowling will publish a book titled ‘The Ink Black Heart’ in 2022.
It’s a crime thriller about a YouTuber named Edie Ledwell, who creates a cartoon that is criticized for being racist, ableist, and transphobic.
Rowling was blasted on X, formerly Twitter, for the new book, with one user tweeting: “I just finished reading ‘The Ink Black Heart’. How can I describe it? – Utterly transphobic and ableist. – Poorly written. – Unnecessarily verbose. – Painfully long. – The worst of the series so far.”
Another said: “If any person personifies how becoming very wealthy dulls you from the humanity that made you successful in the first place, it’s J.K. Rowling.
“Imagine writing a whole pity party of a book because trans-Twitter was mean to you after you were mean to them.”
Several Harry Potter stars have also expressed their opposition to Rowling’s beliefs.
Chris Rankin (as Percy Weasley) told Eastern Daily Press: “I do a lot of work with charities that are LGBTQ+ focused and I raise money for the Albert Kennedy Trust on a regular basis.
“A lot of my family are members of the community. It is a huge part of my life and I think, by saying that, you can probably guess where my allegiances lie in that respect.”
He added: “What is important to highlight is that, when a trans person says they are male or female, that is what they are and that is how we should treat them.
“It is damaging to them to say otherwise.”
And two of the franchise’s greatest stars have expressed similar opinions.
Daniel Radcliffe issued a statement through The Trevor Project in June 2020, claiming that he felt obligated to say something.
It read: “I realise that certain press outlets will probably want to paint this as in-fighting between J.K. 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 honoured 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.”
The Woman in Black actor went on to explain that he’s ‘truly sorry’ that the ‘Harry Potter’ books may have been ‘tarnished or lessened’ for fans.
In the meantime, Emma Watson posted the following: “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.”
She followed up her tweet with: “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.”
Fans also believe the Little Women actress made a dig at Rowling during her 2022 BAFTA speech.
It happened when Rebel Wilson, the event’s emcee, introduced the actress to the stage, stating, “Here to present the next award is Emma Watson. She calls herself a feminist, but we all know she’s a witch.”
Watson said, “I’m here for all the witches.”
Rowling has responded to criticism over her opinions.
Rowling tweeted this week about the Cass study, an independent study of gender identity services for children and young people.
Mermaids, a charity that supports trans, non-binary, and gender-questioning youngsters, warned that’some of the terminology in the study is vulnerable to misinterpretation and could be used to justify extra barriers to receiving care for some trans young people’. as per The Guardian.
Rowling, on the other hand, described the report as ‘the most rigorous examination of the medical evidence supporting transitioning youngsters that’s ever been conducted.
The author believes the research proved ‘babies have been irrevocably affected’ and adds: “Thousands are complicit, not just medics, but celebrity mouthpieces, unquestioning media, and cynical corporations.”
An admirer of Rowling said, “Just waiting for Dan and Emma to give you a very public apology… safe in the knowledge that you will forgive them…”
Rowling, on the other hand, refuses to forgive the pair.
“Not safe, I’m afraid,” she 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.”
Fans have subsequently defended Radcliffe and Watson, with one X user writing: “Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe don’t need forgiveness for being compassionate human beings, and they weren’t offering you an apology.”
Someone another weighs in, saying, “Wait – what have Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe got to apologise to Rowling for? They were in the films of her books when they were kids, she doesn’t own them. That’s some really weird feudal s*** there…”
