They "will work for a living"
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Daniel Radcliffe hopes that the Harry Potter books won't lose their magic for fans after author J.K. Rowling tweeted about her personal views on gender identity! As People reports, Radcliffe penned a short essay he shared through The Trevor Project, a non-profit focused on suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth.
At the beginning of the essay, Radcliffe acknowledged the fact that taking a stand against Rowling's words could be perceived as "in-fighting" between the two. However, the actor was quick to point out how "that is really not what this is about, nor is it what’s important right now."
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Radcliffe states that "transgender women are women" in response
Radcliffe then made his own views on the subject clear. "Transgender women are women," he stated. "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."
"According to The Trevor Project, 78 percent of transgender and nonbinary youth reported being the subject of discrimination due to their gender identity," Radcliffe said. "It’s clear that we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm."
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Radcliffe admitted that he's "still learning how to be a better ally," and encouraged people to educate themselves further on the subject of gender identity by reading The Trevor Project's Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Youth.
Radcliffe feels Harry Potter fans' experience with books is "sacred"
Radcliffe then addressed fans of the Harry Potter series, telling them he hopes that Rowling's comments don't ruin their love of the books. "To all the people who now feel that their experience of the books has been tarnished or diminished, I am deeply sorry for the pain these comments have caused you," Radcliffe said. "I really hope that you don’t entirely lose what was valuable in these stories to you."
"If these books taught you that love is the strongest force in the universe, capable of overcoming anything; if they taught you that strength is found in diversity, and that dogmatic ideas of pureness lead to the oppression of vulnerable groups; if you believe that a particular character is trans, nonbinary, or gender fluid, or that they are gay or bisexual; if you found anything in these stories that resonated with you and helped you at any time in your life — then that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred," Radcliffe said.
"And in my opinion, nobody can touch that. It means to you what it means to you and I hope that these comments will not taint that too much." Radcliffe concluded his powerful essay with a simple closing: "Love always, Dan."
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