Two days after the star of the Harry Potter movies spoke out against J.K. Rowling’s transphobic tweets, the star of the in-progress Fantastic Beasts series, Eddie Redmayne, has issued a rebuke of his own.
In a statement to Variety, Redmayne, who plays Newt Scamander, says that comments like the ones Rowling made can lead to violence and abuse against trans people.
“Respect for transgender people remains a cultural imperative, and over the years I have been trying to constantly educate myself,” he said. “This is an ongoing process. As someone who has worked with both J.K. Rowling and members of the trans community, I wanted to make it absolutely clear where I stand. I disagree with Jo’s comments. Trans women are women, trans men are men and non-binary identities are valid.”
“I would never want to speak on behalf of the community but I do know that my dear transgender friends and colleagues are tired of this constant questioning of their identities, which all too often results in violence and abuse. They simply want to live their lives peacefully, and it’s time to let them do so.”
Redmayne played the trans woman Lili Elbe in the 2015 film The Danish Girl, following Lili as she becomes one of the first people to receive sex reassignment surgery.
Other Harry Potter stars who’ve spoken out against Rowling this week include Evanna Lynch, Chris Rankin, and Noma Dumezweni. Rowling hasn’t said anything else since her tweets on Saturday.
Source: Variety
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