JK Rowling has responded after Stephen Fry claimed her “cruel” and “mocking” views on transgender people were a result of being “radicalised”.
The QI star, who narrated the Harry Potter audiobooks, was the latest to speak out against Rowling’s comments on gender ideology, which has seen her repeatedly come under fire.
Many, including stars of the Harry Potter adaptations, have accused Rowling of transphobia – and Fry, who said he was once close to the author, shared his own view.
Fry, who is an advocate for LGBT+ rights, said on The Show People podcast:” She has been radicalised, I fear – perhaps by TERFs [Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist] but also by the vitriol that is thrown at her. I’m afraid she seems to be a lost cause for us.”
In 2022, Fry stood by Rowling, saying he would not “abandon” her amid growing backlash, but said he is now speaking out against the writer as he “disagrees profoundly with her on this subject”.
However, Rowling has taken issue with the suggestion that she was ever friends with Fry, writing on X/Twitter: “It is a great mistake to assume that everyone who claims to have been a friend of mine was ever considered a friend by me.”
Rowling’s post arrives after Fry said of the author: “She started to make these peculiar statements and had very strong, difficult views. She seemed to kick a hornet’s nest of transphobia that has been entirely destructive.
“She says things that are inflammatory, contemptuous and mocking,” he said. “They add to a terribly distressing time for trans people.”
Fry went on: “When it comes to the transphobia issue, it is right to remind people that trans people are here and that they are hurting. They are being abominably treated. There’s a great deal of bullying, violence, suicide and genuine agony in the trans community.”
Rowling declined to comment.
In recent years, she has become ostracised from former Harry Potter child stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint due to the controversy – and the author has said she would not forgive the actors for criticising her opinions, telling them to “save their apologies”. She has denied being transphobic.
In contrast, Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy, distanced himself from the subject when he was asked whether Rowling’s views “impact you at all or impact your work in the world of Harry Potter at all”.
He replied: “No, I can’t say it does. I’m not really that attuned to it.
“The only thing I always remind myself is that I’ve been lucky enough to travel the world – here I am in New York – and I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter. And she’s responsible for that, so I’m incredibly grateful.”
