Harry Potter fans slam Tom Felton for reaction to J.K. Rowling's trans views
Harry Potter star Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the film series, has been slammed by fans for his response to a question about J.K. Rowling's trans views
Harry Potter enthusiasts were left disappointed by Tom Felton's remarks regarding J. K. Rowling's controversial views on transgender issues. The actor, famed for his portrayal of Draco Malfoy, was at the 78th Annual Tony Awards in New York City's Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 8.
Recently confirmed to return as Draco Malfoy in the Broadway rendition of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Felton faced questions from Variety on the red carpet about whether the furore over J.K. Rowling's "transphobic" comments had affected him or his work, reports the Mirror US.
"No, I can't say it does, I'm not really that attuned to it," Tom responded.
"The only thing that I always remind myself is that I've been lucky enough to travel the world. Here I am in New York, and I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter. And she's responsible, so I'm incredibly grateful."
His response did not sit well with fans, who voiced their discontent on X, previously known as Twitter, where a clip of his interview was shared.
One user criticised his perspective as "What a privileged straight white man take."
Another expressed their loss of respect, stating, "Tom felton..... you've lost any respect you've ever had from me."
A third comment translated his words as indifference to the impact on the trans community: "Translation: I do not have anyone close to me who is trans. And since it doesn't affect me personally, it doesn't matter. Nothing has brought the world more together than Potter? She has made the world less safe for an entire group of people. Shame on Tom Felton."
One fan commented, "Must be nice for Tom Felton to not have to be 'attuned' to Rowling's awfulness. Doesn't personally affect him, so why should he care?"
J. K. Rowling first faced accusations of transphobia in 2018 when she liked a tweet that was anti-trans. However, her true stance became apparent in 2019 when she followed a self-proclaimed 'transphobe', YouTuber Magdalen Berns, and defended Maya Forstater, who had made anti-trans comments and was involved in an employment discrimination legal battle.
The 59 year old author continued to like anti-trans tweets and expressed her anger on Twitter about an article using the phrase "people who menstruate."
In 2020, she penned an essay defending her views, stating she was "worried about the new trans activism" and criticised women who believe there's a "material difference between trans women and themselves."
Several actors from the Harry Potter series, including those who played the main trio (Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley), publicly disagreed with J. K. Rowling's views.
Daniel Radcliffe stated in part of his response that "transgender women are women. 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 apologised profoundly to fans who "feel that their experience of the books has been tarnished or diminished" as a result of J. K.'s remarks.
Emma Watson shared her support on Twitter, stating, "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."
She continued by expressing her solidarity with her trans followers: "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."
Rupert Grint voiced his stance in The Times, declaring, "Trans women are women. Trans men are men. We should all be entitled to live with love and without judgment. I firmly stand with the trans community and echo the sentiments expressed by many of my peers."
Several more Harry Potter actors, including Eddie Redmayne, David Tennant, and Katie Leung, have publicly disagreed with the acclaimed British author. Following a Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ruling in April, affirming that the terms "woman" and "sex" relate exclusively to biological sex, many from the cast also endorsed an open letter backing transgender rights.
J. K. remains under fire for anti-trans comments and stands accused of falsely alleging that Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is trans, despite there being no proof and denials from Imane herself.
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