The transphobia of J.K. Rowling is sadly never far from the thoughts of Harry Potter fans, but the once-beloved writer’s anti-trans rhetoric is once again haunting headlines in the run-up to the release of Hogwarts Legacy. The incoming video game based on the ever-expanding Wizarding World has only led to the author’s critics taking a sterner stance against her harmful views, although one Harry Potter star has always made no secret of how much she disagrees with Rowling.
Back in the summer of 2020, when Rowling first openly espoused her feelings on trans matters on social media, a flurry of veterans of the movie franchise offered public statements to make clear that they did not share any views with Rowling. One of the most celebrated responses of this ilk came from Emma Watson, Hermione Granger to Daniel Radcliffe’s Harry.
Watson declared, in no uncertain terms, that she believes trans people “deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are,” as well as sharing a personal message of love and support to her trans fans.
In March 2022, Watson was once again praised for opposing Rowling’s views when she appeared to “throw shade” at the writer during an appearance at the BAFTA Awards. After being introduced by host Rebel Wilson (“She calls herself a feminist, but we all know she’s a witch”), Watson arrived on stage and announced: “I’m here for ALL the witches.”
While Watson declined to call out J.K. Rowling by name in either of these responses, her actions illuminate just how much she opposes the creator’s transphobia brighter than a lumos spell.
