Daniel Radcliffe responds to J.K Rowling's tweets on gender identity

[EddyF]

Daniel Radcliffe responds to JK Rowling’s tweets: “Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people”

Daniel Radcliffe Responds to J.K. Rowling’s Tweets on Gender Identity – The Trevor Project

FULL STATEMENT

I realize that certain press outlets will probably want to paint this as in-fighting between J.K. Rowling and myself, but that is really not what this is about, nor is it what’s important right now. While Jo is unquestionably responsible for the course my life has taken, as someone who has been honored to work with and continues to contribute to The Trevor Project for the last decade, and just as a human being, I feel compelled to say something at this moment.

Transgender women are women. 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% of transgender and nonbinary youth reported being the subject of discrimination due to their gender identity. It’s clear that we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm.

I am still learning how to be a better ally, so if you want to join me in learning more about transgender and nonbinary identities check out The Trevor Project’s Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Youth. It’s an introductory educational resource that covers a wide range of topics, including the differences between sex and gender, and shares best practices on how to support transgender and nonbinary people.

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. 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. 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.

Love always,
Dan

I'm more excited to read her response to this than i ever was about the hp saga.

You do know Jo gets paid (handsomely) to put words together in an inspiring and intelligent manner, don't you, Dan? As in, she's the world's most famous living author. As in, you haven't got the faintest chance of coming out of this without looking every bit the pompous male arse.

@MonsteraCheeseplant

I feel really sad and deflated about this today. Are we getting anywhere at all?

Don't and yes. Fools are having to say outright what they have been told to think - it must make their fingers itch to type some of this nonsense (and if not now, it will be 'in print' forever and I am sure some kind person will remind them later on).

Also, don't mistake radio silence as compliance - people are scared to speak out and I would guess the majority of the rest are too bust trying to figure out of it is April 1st / picking their jaws up off the floor / laughing their socks off or hopefully, getting an 'education' earful from their mums, sisters, girlfriends, wives and grans.

I like Jan Morris. I remember her when she was Jim. I would call her a historian. Pax Brittanica, Well worth a read.

So yeah, if you're not emotionally invested, lucky you.

Which is the hallmark of what speakers like Radcliffe are demonstrating: that their privilege ensures they will never have to be emotionally invested or affected by what they are enabling to happen. Radcliffe's female relatives will never need a female only refuge, or need to worry about being catheterised, exposed and unable to move on a hospital bed a few feet away from a male in the next bed, or any of the other issues here because Radcliffe's money will ensure other solutions.

Although in Radcliffe you have the additional joy of a young, white, middle class man with unimaginable wealth, apologising for an older woman who worked her way up through poverty in the paternalistic manner of a Victorian male guardian, while handing away the rights of females.

This, in the BTL comments on the Times article, has quite tickled my fancy:
"Radcliffe trying to qudruple his fanbase by siding with 0.0001% of world population."

I do think that part of the problem is the emotional investment that many people have in this issue.

Women aren't logical.
They only are emotional.
Not sure why you didn't add in hysteriacal for good measure.

No the science is there. There are no pink or blue brains. Women are biologically different and this affects how they are more likely to suffer abuse or sexual violence. Women are physically smaller. Women have the experience of childbirth which is highly relevant to both their life opportunities and their health in ways no one born male has to deal with in the same way.

This is not emotional to point this out. This is logical, science backed and historically significant.

In terms of emotional investment, I didn't really ask to end up having to deal with my brothers and my parents sexism and the erase of my childhood. I was just told that I was irrelevant and my life experience wasn't as important. So damn straight I'm emotionally invested by this bullshit. I can't avoid it. It's spreading and hurting women everywhere with it being applauded as progressive.

I tell you want is emotional? Saying your feelings matter more than the safety and dignity of women.

Try harder not to sound like a sexist. Watch your language. God knows women are told often enough that they must.

I'm so used to the beardy splaining that it's the attempt to appropriate Rowling's legacy for himself that grates most, and how many people are more than happy to let him do it.

Lordfrontpaw
Fools are having to say outright what they have been told to think - it must make their fingers itch to type some of this nonsense (and if not now, it will be 'in print' forever and I am sure some kind person will remind them later on).

Anyone remember "Cake" the made-up drug from Brass Eye?

EXCELLENT point upthread by previous posters.

Hands up which Black and Asian posters here are happy to be compelled by society and the law to be called Cis-Black/Cis-Asian whilst White people legally get to call themselves Black/Asian?

Although in Radcliffe you have the additional joy of a young, white, middle class man with unimaginable wealth

Exactly. Radcliffe saw an opportunity to be relevant again and took it. But what's disappointing is the libfem women all giddy when a wealthy white man tells them how things are.

What newcomers don't understand is that there are women on this board who have been reading and thinking about this shit for years. I came to this section in about 2011 and talked about 'cis privilege'. I got told. I read and I learned and I've been gender critical since then.

Women have been physically attacked and doxxed for the effrontery of not putting men's rights front and centre. This isn't some academic exercise. It's female lives.

I'm absolutely not the most eloquent or prolific poster here. And damn right I'm angry.

Women have the absolute right to be angry about this wholesale attack on our rights.

Anyone remember "Cake" the made-up drug from Brass Eye? - oh yes. And in a similar vein - 'This Is America' is also an amusing watch,

Also. Men sainted for being emotional and being in touch with their feelings. Women told they shouldn't be so emotional. That includes men who say they will punch women (they are acting emotionally and its justified), but its not seen in the same way as women who express concern for their safety - in part from threats of being punched - merely for pointing out how this takes their rights back decades (apparently not justifable).

Sexism staring you right in the face right there.

If you can't see the sexism, take your blinkers off, educate yourself and look harder.

I'm so used to the beardy splaining that it's the attempt to appropriate Rowling's legacy for himself that grates most, and how many people are more than happy to let him do it.

I know. When you look at what JK overcame in order to become successful, ON TOP of being a woman.

I like Daniel's statement, he's been very supportive of LGTB people and the Trevor Project for years. I like his clarity when he says, "Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people" and "It’s clear that we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm"
Honestly, I feel his statement is to some extent, an antidote to some of the views I've read on MN!

Emotional. [ ih-moh-shuh-nl ]
A word often used to silence women.

What a total twit that boy is. What does he think the statement "transwomen are women" does for women, and why the hell does he think we should put up with that?

He could never even act for toffee, just another middle class over-privileged twit abusing the status he should never have been given. These kind of people make me so angry.

^I like Daniel's statement, he's been very supportive of LGTB people and the Trevor Project for years. I like his clarity when he says, "Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people" and "It’s clear that we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm"
Honestly, I feel his statement is to some extent, an antidote to some of the views I've read on MN!^

Thanks for that Newdadtogirl.

I take it from your username you are also a man?

LGB people are waking up to the anti-homosexual bias of Genderists.

Hence the rejection of Stonewall in favour of LGB Alliance.

Newdadtogirl has it occurred to you that you too are mansplaining this issue to us?

I recommend a crash course of looking through "Manwhohasitall's" twitter feed before you start trying to parent your new daughter in earnest. Because, seriously, the last thing she will need as she grows older is a dad who mansplains everything to her.

It's a shame your daughter will be affected by the erasure of women's spaces, the denial of women's experiences and systemic sexism throughout her life @newdadtogirl. But at least you can tell her Harry Potter is on her side, even if history isn't.

Weasel.

We are right they are wrong they will never win.

So erasing the identity and dignity of women is a price worth paying.

Basically, women make space, accommodate, be kind!

No I don’t think so.

@Newdadtogirl

I like Daniel's statement, he's been very supportive of LGTB people and the Trevor Project for years. I like his clarity when he says, "Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people" and "It’s clear that we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm" Honestly, I feel his statement is to some extent, an antidote to some of the views I've read on MN!

You don't like females much either then?

Newdadtogirl, perhaps you could explain why that statement talks about Transwomen when JK Rowling did not refer to Transwomen.