Emma Watson Supported The Trans Community & Shut Down J.K. Rowling's Comments

In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Dumbledore famously says: "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends." The actors who made their careers starring in the Potter series are living that lesson all over again. J.K. Rowling, the author of these beloved novels, posted an anti-transgender screed on June 10, and those who starred in her films have been swift to condemn it. Hermione actress Emma Watson's tweets supporting the trans community offered ways to donate to the cause.

Rowling's post, which followed a set of anti-transgender tweets over the previous weekend, is entitled "TERF Wars." TERF stands for "trans-exclusionary radical feminists." They are a self-identified group of people who ally themselves with the feminist movement but do not believe that transgender women are women and should not be part of that movement. There had been rumors since December of 2019 that Rowling was at least sympathetic to TERF beliefs. With this post, she not only confirmed this but also identified herself as part of this group, insisting transgender women are somehow a threat to cis women.

Even before Rowling's post, both Daniel Radcliffe and Eddie Redmayne, who play Rowling's two leading heroes from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises, spoke out, denouncing her belief. And actress Emma Watson, famous for playing Rowling's most popular character, Hermione Granger, had retweeted a list of organizations to support Black trans women.

But with Rowling's post, Watson went a step further.

She also announced where her donations were going, in hopes her followers would do the same.

Watson wasn't the only Hermione actress speaking out either. Noma Dumezweni, who originated the adult Hermione role in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, also weighed in, declaring "Trans Rights Are Human Rights."

In the Harry Potter novels, adults continuously say Hermione is "the smartest witch of her age." In Cursed Child, she has gone on to become the Minister of Magic, the highest-ranking political office one can hold in the magical world, with the suggestion she is a great leader. It's good to see that both actresses who have become famous for playing the role are willing to stand up and be great leaders.