Emma Watson On Jk Rowling

Harry Potter star Emma Watson has said transgender people deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned in response to JK Rowling's controversial comments on the issue.

The actress, who played Hermione Grainger in the hit film series, joins her former co-star Daniel Radcliffe and fellow actor Eddie Redmayne, who appeared in the Fantastic Beasts spin-offs, in publicly disagreeing with the author.

After sparking controversy with a series of tweets taking issue with a headline discussing people who menstruate, Rowling released a lengthy statement on Wednesday - revealing that one of the reasons she has been so vocal about the issue is previous experience of domestic abuse and sexual assault.

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Watson posted a series of tweets shortly afterwards. Warner Bros, the Hollywood studio behind the blockbuster Harry Potter franchise, also responded to the controversy, as did Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny Weasley in the films.

Addressing her trans followers, Watson said: Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren't who they say they are.

I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are.

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The actress said she donates to the Mermaids charity, which helps transgender children, and the feminist fund Mama Cash, and urged followers to do the same if they can.

Rowling has strongly denied allegations of transphobia, saying she is very much in support of the trans community - but also women.

Posting a 3, 600-word statement on the issue, Rowling detailed five reasons she felt the need to speak out - including her interest in both education and safeguarding and freedom of speech.

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Explaining her final reason, she wrote: I've been in the public eye now for over 20 years and have never talked publicly about being a domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor.

This isn't because I'm ashamed those things happened to me, but because they're traumatic to revisit and remember. I also feel protective of my daughter from my first marriage. I didn't want to claim sole ownership of a story that belongs to her, too.

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However, a short while ago, I asked her how she'd feel if I were publicly honest about that part of my life and she encouraged me to go ahead.

I'm mentioning these things now not in an attempt to garner sympathy, but out of solidarity with the huge numbers of women who have histories like mine, who've been slurred as bigots for having concerns around single-sex spaces.

In her statement, Rowling also said she was motivated to address transgender issues on social media because of what she sees as an increasingly misogynistic society.

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Back in the 80s, I imagined that my future daughters, should I have any, would have it far better than I ever did, but between the backlash against feminism and a porn-saturated online culture, I believe things have got significantly worse for girls, she said.

In a statement released after Rowling's post, Warner Bros said recent events had firmed our resolve as a company to confront difficult societal issues.

It continued: Warner Bros' position on inclusiveness is well established, and fostering a diverse and inclusive culture has never been more important to our company and to our audiences around the world.

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We deeply value the work of our storytellers who give so much of themselves in sharing their creations with us all. We recognise our responsibility to foster empathy and advocate understanding of all communities and all people, particularly those we work with and those we reach through our content.Emma Watson and JK Rowling attend the press room at the Orange British Academy Film Awards at ... [+] Royal Opera House. (Photo by rune hellestad/Corbis via Getty Images)

Star Emma Watson has recently gone viral after being shared on TikTok and Twitter, as Watson’s words appear to clash with those of author J.K. Rowling, sparking a culture war between fans of the two famous women.

In the interview, Watson was asked by author and activist Paris Lees (who is trans), if Watson would be comfortable sharing a bathroom with her. Watson responds: “oh my god, of course.”

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Watson continues by explaining her message to those who might have a problem with Lees using female toilets: “That’s another human being. I understand fearing what you don’t know. But go and learn ...”

While Watson’s words seem fairly unremarkable, fans found her open-minded attitude stood in stark contrast to that of J.K. Rowling, who has repeatedly expressed her discomfort with the idea of sharing intimate spaces with trans women. In an essay defending her beliefs, Rowling wrote:

“When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he’s a woman – and, as I’ve said, gender confirmation certificates may now be granted without any need for surgery or hormones – then you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside.”

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Hence, Rowling’s fans seemed infuriated by the sudden popularity of Watson’s interview, with many dismissing Watson as rich, entitled, and thus, irrelevant.

Watson fans struck back, arguing in her defense, and pointing out the irony of criticizing Watson’s class background, while standing in solidarity with one of the world’s wealthiest authors.

The Twitter clash illuminates not just an ideological divide, but a widening generational gap. While polls show support for trans rights to be broadly based on political ideology, they also display a sizable gap between the young and old.

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Millennials and Gen Z tend to be overwhelmingly supportive of trans people, having grown up in a more inclusive environment, while older generations show far more resistance to trans rights, likely intimidated by the speed of social change.

Films have come out firmly in support of trans rights after Rowling’s controversy. Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe have released statements in support of trans people, with both actors calling out JK Rowling directly.

“Transgender women are women, ” Radcliffe wrote in an essay for The Trevor Project. “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 [Rowling] or I.”On Wednesday (June 11th), Watson - who found fame at the age of 11 playing Hermione Grainger in the franchise and is known for having a close relationship with Rowling - tweeted: 'Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren't who they say they are.

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'I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are.'

The 30-year-old then shared that she donates to youth trans support organisation Mermaids Gender and Mama Cash - a feminist organisation supporting the rights of women, girls, trans and intersex women - and encouraged her followers to do the same if they can before wishing everyone a happy Pride month.

Watson's messages come days after Rowling shared her reaction to an article titled 'Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate.' The author commented: 'People who menstruate. I'm sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?'.

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She has since faced a measurably large backlash for her sweeping statement (during Pride month no less) which failed to acknowledge, and therefore excluded, trans men and non-binary people who can also menstruate, as well as the fact that just because trans women may not menstruate, it doesn't make them not a 'woman, ' and also that some cisgender women do not menstruate for a whole breadth of medical reasons.

Shortly afterwards, Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe, made a statement via LGBTQ+ youth supporting charity the Trevor Project apologising for the 'pain' his HP creator's comments have caused, particularly to any fans of the books and films who might feel 'their experience of the books has been tarnished or diminished'.

'As someone who has worked with both J.K. Rowling and members of the trans community, I wanted to make it absolutely clear where I stand, ' the

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. 'I disagree with Jo’s comments. Trans women are women, trans men are men and non-binary identities are valid. I would never want to speak on behalf of the community but I do know that my dear transgender friends and colleagues are tired of this constant questioning of their identities, which all too often results in violence and abuse.