On June 8, 2020, Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe published an open letter to JK Rowling in response to anti-Trans comments that she made on Twitter. Over two years on, the author has become notorious for her transphobia, and Radcliffe has explained why it was “really important” for him to be a visible ally for those affected.

“Particularly since finishing ‘Potter’, I’ve met so many queer and trans kids and young people who had a huge amount of identification with Potter,” the Englishman told IndieWire. “Seeing them hurt on that day I was like, I wanted them to know that not everybody in the franchise felt that way.”

The 2020 statement was originally released on The Trevor Project’s website, an organisation that the star has been a supporter of for over a decade. He revealed in the letter that the LGBTQ+ charity had helped him to become a better ally, adding now, “I don’t think I would’ve been able to look myself in the mirror had I not said anything.”

Rowling has irreparably damaged the HP legacy, but it still means a lot for Daniel Radcliffe to speak up and say this. He owes her nothing and is a welcome voice of support. Harry defeats Voldemort a second time. 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️ https://t.co/88j4JMSTKN

— aes 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ (@strengthtodream) November 1, 2022

At the time, and perhaps still to this day, Radcliffe’s stance offered comfort to fans of the franchise who had been affected by the author’s remarks. The films’ leading man emphasised the need “to support transgender and non-binary people, not invalidate their identities,” and also apologised to those hurt.

“I really hope that you don’t entirely lose what was valuable in these stories to you,” he continued.

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“If these books taught you that love is the strongest force in the universe, capable of overcoming anything; if they taught you that strength is found in diversity, and that dogmatic ideas of pureness lead to the oppression of vulnerable groups; if you believe that a particular character is trans, non-binary, or gender fluid, or that they are gay or bisexual; if you found anything in these stories that resonated with you and helped you at any time in your life – then that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred.”

Daniel Radcliffe is not the only Harry Potter star to have condemned JK Rowling’s views, with cast-mates Emma Watson and Rupert Grint also having reportedly made their opposition clear in the past.