Celebrities who starred in Harry Potter have signed an open letter supporting trans individuals affected by the UK Supreme Court ruling, even though J.K. Rowling has expressed opposing views on trans issues.
The author has faced backlash not only for publicly expressing a gender-critical stance, but also for funding groups that influence legislation seen as harmful to trans rights.
Harry Potter Stars Back the Trans Community After Supreme Court’s Gender Ruling
Harry Potter stars have signed an open letter to stand with transgender people affected by the UK Supreme Court’s decision to define “woman” in the Equality Act as referring only to those born biologically female.
This is despite J.K. Rowling’s history of making outspoken statements online that many perceive as “anti-trans.” Her views have since strained her relationships with Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, who have renounced her since 2020.
Paapa Essiedu, who is set to play Severus Snape in the upcoming Harry Potter reboot, was among the signatories of the letter. Other actors such as Eddie Redmayne, who portrayed Newt Scamander in the Fantastic Beasts spin-off series, and Katie Leung, who played Cho Chang in the original films, have also shown their support.
“We the undersigned film and television professionals stand in solidarity with the trans, non-binary and intersex communities who have been impacted by the Supreme Court ruling on April 17,” the letter states, per Deadline.
It continues, “The Supreme Court’s ruling that, under the Equality Act, ‘woman’ is defined by biological sex, states that ‘the concept of sex is binary, a person is either a woman or a man’. We believe the ruling undermines the lived reality and threatens the safety of trans, non-binary and intersex people living in the U.K.”
The letter urges industry professionals to speak up and use their platforms to show empathy toward those affected by the ruling. It also calls on 2,000 individuals to endorse the initiative.
So far, around 400 entertainment workers have signed the open letter. These include Bridgerton’s Bessie Carter, daughter of Dame Imelda Staunton (known for playing Dolores Umbridge in the film series), and Daisy Haggard, who voiced the Ministry of Magic elevator in the films.
Other notable signatories include The Last of Us actor Bella Ramsey, The Brutalist star Joe Alwyn, and Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan.
J.K. Rowling Celebrated Trans Court Victory
On April 17, J.K. Rowling posted selfies from a yacht, holding a cigar and a cocktail, as she celebrated the UK Supreme Court’s ruling that trans women are legally considered men, not women.
The selfie was captioned: “I love it when a plan comes together,” referring to the recent judgment that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the 2010 Equality Act are to be interpreted as “biological woman” and “biological sex.”
Lord Hodge delivered the ruling, stating that equality for all groups remains intact. He emphasized that the decision did not involve favoritism and that protections against discrimination for transgender individuals are still in place.
The campaign group For Women Scotland, which has long opposed the Scottish government’s definition of “woman,” is also known to receive financial support from Rowling.
“It took three extraordinary, tenacious Scottish women with an army behind them to get this case heard by the Supreme Court and, in winning, they've protected the rights of women and girls across the UK. @ForWomenScot, I’m so proud to know you,” she wrote on X.
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