The article details the ongoing conflict between J.K. Rowling and several actors from the Harry Potter films stemming from her views on transgender rights. Rowling's public support of a Scottish court ruling that excluded transgender women from the legal definition of "woman" and her past comments questioning the concept of gender identity have drawn criticism.
Several actors, including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, have publicly voiced their support for transgender rights, contradicting Rowling's stance. Other actors have taken a more neutral approach.
Rowling's public statements against transgender rights began around 2019, with comments regarding a transphobic researcher. In 2020, her tweets criticizing the phrase "people who menstruate" and denying the existence of a gender spectrum ignited the controversy.
The 2024 Hate Crime and Public Order Act in Scotland led Rowling to express concerns that accurate descriptions of biological sex could be criminalized, prompting her to explicitly ask for arrest if her words were deemed a crime.
Despite the backlash, Rowling has remained steadfast in her views, citing the need to protect women's rights and arguing that her statements are not hateful, but factual.