Helena Bonham Carter Weighs in On Transphobe Accusations of J.K. Rowling

Before ‘Woke Culture’ J.K. Rowling was one of the most beloved authors in pop-culture. Now, the internet has branded her as transphobic and several actors from the Harry Potter franchise have come out to condemn her like Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson.

Of course, not everyone is against Rowling. Talking to THR, Helena Bonham Carter, who plays Bellatrix Lestrange in the Potter films has said:

“It’s horrendous, a load of bollocks. I think she has been hounded… It’s been taken to the extreme, the judgmentalism of people. She’s allowed her opinion, particularly if she’s suffered abuse. Everybody carries their own history of trauma and forms their opinions from that trauma and you have to respect where people come from and their pain. You don’t all have to agree on everything — that would be insane and boring. She’s not meaning it aggressively, she’s just saying something out of her own experience.”

So far, the only public figures who have come to Rowling’s defense are from the older generation. The late Robbie Coltrane also showed his support for Rowling; but take note, no one is agreeing with her opinion—they’re just saying she’s allowed it and the people that have been attacking her online have been pretty extreme.

On the side of the younger actors condemning Rowling, Carter says, “Personally I feel they should let her have her opinions, but I think they’re very aware of protecting their own fan base and their generation.”

Though Rowling has now been branded as a ‘TERF’ by the internet, she still undoubtedly has a fanbase, and fans will still continue to love the world of Potter. If you ask me, there just really needs to be more empathy on both sides, and the people who are convinced of Rowling’s transphobia really need to change their approach or they’re not changing anyone’s minds.