JK Rowling Wouldn’t Forgive Harry Potter Stars

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JK Rowling just told Harry Potter and Hermione Granger to shove it. In a series of X posts yesterday, the Harry Potter author talked about her feelings upon reading a report written by pediatrician Hilary Cass about the effects of gender transitioning on children. Cass’ report talks about the harm caused to those who transitioned and how they’re not being given alternatives to what are mostly normal childhood curiosities, like talking with family or working these issues out for themselves without irreparable medical intervention. At the end of her thread, an X user joked that Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson – who play Harry Potter and Hermione Granger in the movies based on Rowling’s books – could apologize for throwing her under the bus on the issue and be assured Rowling would forgive them. Rowling disabused him of that notion:

Not safe, I'm afraid. 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.

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 10, 2024

Good. I don’t blame her for not wanting to forgive them, especially since she’s framing the issue as being more important than herself (and she’s right). But on a personal level, Rowling made these two; they’re stars because of Harry Potter, and I don’t believe either one of them has had much success beyond that series. The only other movie Watson starred in that was a hit was that horrendous remake of Beauty and the Beast. She was in This is the End (which I loved), and that was pretty profitable, but that was an extended cameo. Radcliffe hasn’t had another hit either, mostly starring in smaller movies or taking supporting roles in films that, even if successful, weren’t sold on his name. They don’t have to agree with Rowling, but the honorable thing to do would have been simply to decline to comment on it. Instead, they tried to separate themselves from the woman to whom they owe their riches and fame. Now, I don’t think these two would apologize anyway, nor will they regret their stance on the issue; nowadays, people are too dug-in ideologically for that, not to mention plagued with feelings of entitlement and the ingratitude that comes with them. But the sentiment is appreciated regardless, and I like that Rowling is sticking to her guns on this, if only because very few people who can’t be made to shut up (as Rowling can’t, because, to put it mildly, money is not an issue for her) would speak for the victims of this madness.