Daniel Radcliffe hopes JK Rowling's comments don't "tarnish" Harry Potter books for fans
The Harry Potter star felt "compelled to say something" after the author's controversial tweets last week.
Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has spoken out about J.K. Rowling's tweets regarding transgender people, stating that he hopes her comments "will not taint" the books "too much" for fans.
In statement posted on the website of The Trevor Project, an LGBT suicide prevention charity, the actor wrote that "transgender women are women" and "any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people".
Radcliffe added that he felt "compelled to say something" in response to Rowling's highly-criticised tweets in which she took issue with the phrase 'people who menstruate', as he felt the author was "unquestionable responsible for the course his life has taken".
The star of the magical franchise also apologised to anyone who "experience of the [Harry Potter] books has been tarnished or diminished" by the comments.
"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, non-binary, 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," he said.
"It means to you what it means to you and I hope that these comments will not taint that too much," he added.
Last week, Rowling tweeted an article discussing 'people who menstruate', adding the caption: "I'm sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?"
After being accused of transphobia by some users, Rowling responded with: "If sex isn't real, there's no same-sex attraction. If sex isn't real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn't hate to speak the truth."
The tweets received backlash from various celebrities, including Jameela Jamil and transgender actress Patti Harrison as well as many users on the site.
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