‘Harry Potter’ stars Evanna Lynch and Bonnie Wright express support for trans community

Harry Potter stars Evanna Lynch and Bonnie Wright have added their voices to the growing chorus of franchise members who’ve expressed support for the trans community in the wake of JK Rowling’s recent comments about transgender people.

The actresses shared statements of trans solidarity to Twitter on Wednesday (10 June) shortly after Harry Potter author Rowling published a 4,000 word essay in which she claimed trans rights are doing “demonstrable harm” to cisgender women and “offering cover to predators” in single-sex spaces.

Wright, who played student witch Ginny Weasley in the films, wrote: “If Harry Potter was a source of love and belonging for you, that love is infinite and there to take without judgment or question. Transwomen are Women.

If Harry Potter was a source of love and belonging for you, that love is infinite and there to take without judgment or question. Transwomen are Women. I see and love you, Bonnie x

— Bonnie Wright (@thisisbwright) June 10, 2020

The 29-year-old added: “I see and love you, Bonnie x”

In her own statement, Lynch said she believed Rowling was “on the wrong side of the debate.”

“I disagree with her opinion that cis-women are the most vulnerable minority in this situation”, wrote the Irish actress, who played Hogwarts student Luna Lovegood in the later Harry Potter films.

She added: “I imagine being trans and learning to accept and love yourself is challenging enough, and we as a society should not be adding to that pain.”

Lynch went on to apologise to transgender fans of Harry Potter fans who felt their “sense of belonging” had been underminded by Rowling’s comments.

Here are my thoughts. Sending love to all. ❤️💜💗🧡💛💚🤎🖤🤍 pic.twitter.com/P30YHfnzBN

— Evanna Lynch (@Evy_Lynch) June 9, 2020

“The Harry Potter world/fandom/community is literally made up of millions of people and I for one will work to make it feel inclusive because trans women are women,” she wrote.

The screen star also called for calm on both sides, highlighting the “constant, toxic stream of people abusing each other and getting nowhere” on Twitter.

“I don’t think ‘cancel culture’ is helpful for any of us,” she wrote, adding: “I understand that JKR’s viewers are very hurtful to many, and that as a cis-woman I can’t fully fathom that particular pain an that’s it’s easier for someone like me to ask people to be kind.”

Meanwhile, franchise stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Eddie Redmayne have issued their own messages of support for the transgender community in the wake of Rwoling’s comments.