Despite the series’ creator being one of the world’s most infamous TERFs, plenty of stars at the center of the original Harry Potter movies have stood up for trans rights, time and time again. That includes the original three main characters, aka “the golden trio,” of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, played by Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson. All three have spoken up for trans rights, much to the chagrin of Rowling.
The much-maligned (and perhaps mold-addled) author previously joked that the trio “instantly ruin a movie” for her, and fans have speculated her frustration with their trans allyship could be a motivator for the upcoming reboot TV series.
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Now, another Harry Potter cast member has caught the internet’s attention for speaking up against transphobia.
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“You never needed permission. Just let yourself happen,” she said to her past self, bridging the gap across four years of transitioning.
Deeply depressing.
Actor Sean Biggerstaff, who played Gryffindor Quidditch captain Oliver Wood in three of the Harry Potter movies, recently caught the internet’s attention for calling out transphobes online. When a user wrote about “those excited at the thought of women with short hair being excluded from the Ladies” — an entirely made-up demographic, as far as we can tell — Biggerstaff pointed out their illogic with a simple, one-word response: “What?”
When Biggerstaff’s post went semi-viral, another user applauded him, alongside Harry Potter stars including Radcliffe, Grunt, and Watson, for being on the right side of history, unlike the franchise’s creator. “It’s cool how every Harry Potter actor, even random members of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, is united on this issue against JKR,” they wrote.
Biggerstaff again chimed in, poking fun at those user’s wording. “*Random members* of the Quidditch team?” he wrote. “Exf*ckingcuse you!” After all, Biggerstaff played the Quidditch captain, not just some benchwarmer.
Biggerstaff isn’t new to taking down online TERFs; it’s just that the internet has only now taken notice. A quick scroll through his social media shows countless posts where he dismantles transphobes’ arguments with ease. Rowling’s world of fantasy may have been tainted by her regressive outlook on queer folks, but her original cast of actors still has plenty of magic to offer.
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