Millennial mansplainer or PC wizard? Daniel Radcliffe lectures JK Rowling about who gets to be called a woman
Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has joined the internet pile-on aimed at JK Rowling, after the famous author dared to suggest that biological sex is a real thing. His entrance into the cultural fracas split social media.
Rowling was bombarded with Twitter scorn after expressing exasperation over an article that referred to “people who menstruate” – while declining to identify these type of people as women.
Radcliffe, it seems, has decided to join the pitchfork-wielding trans activists who claim Rowling crossed a dangerous red line.
The 30-year-old actor – who mainly owes his career to his role as the protagonist in Rowling’s book series – released a mini-essay to set the author straight.
“Transgender women are women,” Radcliffe insisted. “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.”
He claimed, however, that his decision to admonish Rowling was not proof of “in-fighting” between the pair. It appears that many of his adoring fans agreed with him.
“An example of privilege being leveraged for the greater good,” cooed one Twitter user. Others praised Radcliffe for his “beautiful statement” and said his decision to speak out was “true magic”.
There were plenty of commentators who were less enthusiastic about his statement, however.
Bret Weinstein, a leading voice against the excesses of political correctness, attempted to use some magic of his own to make the young actor disappear from his Twitter feed.
The debate over gender identity has taken extreme turns in recent months. In May, streaming platform Twitch appointed a male-to-female trans woman who self-identifies as a deer to its “safety advisory council” – prompting considerable eye-rolling across the internet.
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