An open letter has been published and co-signed by more than 400 figures from the entertainment world, calling for the protection of transgender rights within the industry.
The letter was published in light of the UK Supreme Court’s ruling last month, which said that the legal definition of a woman only constituted those that were assigned female at birth.
In the weeks since, there’ve been near-constant discussions about the protection of transgender people and their rights in the media, while the fall-out has seen the British Transport Police updating its policies, declaring that trans women will now be searched by male officers (and vice versa), and Barclays banks stating that trans women will no longer be allowed to use female toilets in its buildings.
On Wednesday, the open letter expressing solidarity with trans, non-binary, intersex and gender non-conforming people was published, calling for major bodies within the entertainment sphere to protect these communities.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling that, under the Equality Act, ‘woman’ is defined by biological sex, states that ‘the concept of sex is binary, a person is either a woman or a man’,” the letter reads (as reported by Deadline).
“We believe the ruling undermines the lived reality and threatens the safety of trans, non-binary and intersex people living in the UK.”
But there’s one name attached to the letter that has raised eyebrows.
Paapa Essiedu, the actor best known for his supporting role in the hit drama I May Destroy You, has also co-signed the letter, just weeks after it was announced he’d be starring in the new TV adaptation of the Harry Potter novels.
The Emmy nominee will play Severus Snape in the new project, on which JK Rowling is attached as a producer.
Rowling, of course, has become a polarising figure in recent years due to her own views on trans issues, and was reported to have made a hefty donation to a campaign group who raised the legal challenge which ultimately led to the Supreme Court’s ruling.
After the ruling was made public, the author shared a controversial image of herself on X, raising a glass and smoking a cigar, declaring: “I love it when a plan comes together.”
Because of this, many found Paapa’s inclusion on the letter to be a little jarring:
HuffPost UK has contacted Paapa Essiedu’s team for comment.
Other figures from Rowling’s Wizarding World to have signed the letter include Fantastic Beasts star Eddie Redmayne and Katie Leung, who played Cho Chang in Harry Potter.
While Eddie spoke out in support of trans people in 2020, at a time when Rowling’s views were first becoming public, he has also defended the Harry Potter creator in the past, claiming the “vitriol” she has received online is “equally disgusting” as the abuse faced by trans people.
HBO – who is producing the new Harry Potter series – previously defended Rowling’s involvement as an executive producer, with a spokesperson saying: “We are proud to once again tell the story of Harry Potter – the heartwarming books that speak to the power of friendship, resolve and acceptance.
“JK Rowling has a right to express her personal views. We will remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.”
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