The Rowling Transphobia Allegations and Daniel Radcliffe's Response

J. K. Rowling ends up again at the center of media attention and certainly not for her latest literary masterpiece. The creator of the most loved wizard saga in the history of literature was - again - accused of transphobia (a discriminatory attitude towards transsexuals) after sharing some tweets. The offending post concerns the comment that the Scottish writer left on the sidelines of an article found online.

Can only women with menstruation be considered women in all respects?

Rowling did not like the title of the aforementioned article which read as follows: "Creating a fairer post-Covid-19 world for menstruating people". What did not go down well with the author is the fact that journalists used a periphrase to avoid mentioning, in her opinion, the term "women". Thus, J.K. tweeted the following comment: “People who are menstruating? I'm sure there is the right word to define them. Help me ... Weasels? ". With a veil of ill-concealed irony, the writer has given it to be understood that only those who have menstruation can be defined and recognized "women" in their own right, effectively excluding transsexual women and, as some users have pointed out, those who are in menopause, have undergone hysterectomies or have undergone hormone treatment.

In her defense, Harry Potter's mother specified that she supports the LGBTQI + cause, not without, however, reiterating that a person's sex cannot be considered an opinion. Here are his words: "If sex is not real, there is no attraction for the same sex. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex cancels the ability to discuss one's life. The idea that people like me, who have been close to the most vulnerable women, those who have suffered male violence, can 'hate' trans people is nonsense ". In short, a bit like saying, "I have a lot of black friends, I can't be a racist" and instead you can, all right if you can.

The problem lies at the bottom. The woman, in fact, does not seem to accept willingly that the "gender identity of a person can disregard the biological sex of the latter", in fact pigeonholing the population within watertight compartments in which it is possible to be considered women only if once a month, a small and physiological hemorrhage occurs in our private parts. To confirm this, yet another tweet from Rowling on the issue: “I respect the right of all trans people to live in the most authentic way and to be themselves. I would march with you if you were discriminated against for being trans. But my life was shaped on being female. I don't think it's hateful to say it ”.

The intervention of Daniel Radcliffe

Unexpectedly, Daniel Radcliffe, the interpreter of Harry Potter, who grew up - it can be said - under Rowling's wing, makes his voice heard. Through a press release published on the Trevor Project website, a non-profit association of which he is a testimonial that offers concrete and psychological help to LGBTQI + people at risk of suicide, the actor had his say on the affair, "beating" Rowling with a speech worthy of 92 minutes of applause:

"Any statement to the contrary erases the identity of transgender people and goes against scientific advice and health associations that have much more experience than J.K. and myself " and then conclude by reiterating that "Transgender women are women in all respects".

Radcliffe, however, has absolutely not denied the beneficial power of a masterpiece like "Harry Potter" and, in the face of the comments of some users who have described themselves as "repentant" in a drawing by damnatio memoriae to the damages, at the same time, of the author and work, he expressed his regret with the following words:

“I am deeply sorry if these words have led you away from the Harry Potter books. I hope that's not really the case. These are books that have taught you that love is the strongest force in the universe, capable of overcoming everything. And that strength comes from diversity, not from dogmas that lead to the oppression of the most vulnerable minorities. If there are characters that you have perceived as fluid, trans, non-binary, gay and bisexual ... If these stories have spoken to your heart and helped you to overcome difficult times ... Then the love between you and those books is sacred. And no one can touch it. Not even these last comments ".

On this, indeed, we cannot blame him. Regardless of the author's "divisive" positions, it is not right that a work that made us fall in love and that continues to do so even after many years is the loser.

Rowling is no stranger to controversy of this kind

It is not the first time that J.K. Rowling shows some obvious signs of transphobia, rightfully earning the nickname "terf" (from the English, radical trans-exclusionist feminist), a branch of feminism that excludes transgender women from the "women" category. The first indication of this trend dates back to March 2018, when users did not miss the author's like for a tweet that gave a superficial and at times offensive definition of transsexual women, calling them "men in suits". Taking a leap forward on the timeline marked by Rowling's gaffes, we find ourselves in December 2019, precisely on the 19th, the day in which the writer publicly takes the defense of Maya Forstater, a British woman fired after writing on social networks that those who have subjected to a transition path to become women cannot be considered as such in all respects.

Why do we talk about it and denounce such a fact? Because it is truly shameful that, in 2020, a person's freedom, be it sexual, identity or religious, struggles to receive the recognition and respect it deserves. Our silence in the face of discrimination of this kind can do even more harm than the discrimination itself.