Yet another Harry Potter star speaks out after JK Rowling’s anti-trans tirade: ‘Trans people are wonderful and deserve to be treated as such’
Chris Rankin at the US premiere of “Harry Potter and the order of the Phoenix in 2007 (GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/ Getty)
The actor Chris Rankin has joined the growing list of Harry Potter stars siding with the transgender community after JK Rowling’s latest anti-trans comments.
Rankin played the character of Percy Weasley in the Harry Potter franchise between 2001 and 2011. He is an outspoken LGBT+ advocate and founder of the House of ChrisNess, a virtual community to support queer youth.
As Rowling used her online platform to attack trans rights in the midst of Pride month, Rankin pointedly used his to share a message of support for his trans friends and family.
“My beautiful, brave, strong, trans friends and house of #ChrisNess family. We love you. I can’t say it enough,” he wrote.
“You’re wonderful, and deserve to be treated as such. Please know that. Be proud of who you are. We are proud of you.”
My beautiful, brave, strong, trans friends and house of #ChrisNess family. We love you. I can’t say it enough. You’re wonderful, and deserve to be treated as such.
Please know that.
Be proud of who you are. We are proud of you ❤️
— Chris Rankin (@chrisrankin) June 6, 2020
Rowling’s anti-trans rhetoric has triggered a wave of condemnation from several of the Harry Potter cast, including Daniel Radcliffe, who proudly shared a statement declaring his unwavering support for trans equality.
“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 wrote in a lengthy statement.
Rankin praised his former co-star for speaking out, tweeting: “Dan, you eternal sweetheart.”
Cho Chang actor Katie Leung responded to the controversy by rallying support for Black trans people, sharing a stream of donation pages for Black LGBT+ groups and petitions for lawmakers to protect Black trans women.
Evanna Lynch, the actor who played Luna Lovegood, also took a stand against Rowling. “I think it’s irresponsible to discuss such a delicate topic over Twitter through fragmented thoughts and I wish Jo wouldn’t,” she wrote.
Lynch aligned herself firmly in support of the transgender community, whom she applauded for their “immense bravery”, but also appealed for more kindness towards the author.
“I disagree with her opinion that cis women are the most vulnerable minority in this situation and I think she’s on the wrong side of this debate,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean she has completely lost her humanity.”
Here are my thoughts. Sending love to all. ❤️???????? pic.twitter.com/P30YHfnzBN
— Evanna Lynch (@Evy_Lynch) June 9, 2020
Emma Watson has not yet commented but previously made her views on the subject clear, sharing a picture of herself wearing a T-shirt with the words: “Trans rights are human rights.”
