While J.K. Rowling believes in revoking trans women's access to women-only spaces, the Harry Potter author recently said she doesn't believe in "taking away people's jobs or livelihoods" because they disagree with her. This applies to Paapa Essiedu, recently cast as Snape in HBO's upcoming Harry Potter series, signed an open letter with more than 400 film and TV industry workers in the U.K. calling for the industry to set up protections for trans and intersex people affected by a U.K. Supreme Court ruling.
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The Supreme Court ruled in April that only cisgender women fit the legal definition of women and that the "concept of sex is binary, a person is either a woman or a man."
Rowling, renowned for her anti-trans rhetoric, said that she wouldn't fire Essiedu or other actors attached to the Harry Potter franchise who contrast with her beliefs, even if she had the power to.
Rowling shared an article from the Scottish Daily Express with a picture of Essiedu with the headline, "JK Rowling won't have new Harry Potter star sacked despite defiance."
Rowling wrote, "I don't have the power to sack an actor from the series and I wouldn't exercise it if I did. I don't believe in taking away people's jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine."
Essiedu and former stars in the Harry Potter franchise Eddie Redmayne and Katie Leung signed the letter that reads, "We must now urgently work to ensure that our trans, non-binary, and intersex colleagues, collaborators, and audiences are protected from discrimination and harassment in all areas of the industry - whether on set, in a production office, or at a cinema."
HBO Chairman and CEO Casey Bloys said that viewers shouldn't be worried that its upcoming Harry Potter show will be "secretly infused" with any of Rowling's anti-trans or other political beliefs.
"It's pretty clear that those are her personal, political views. She's entitled to them," Bloys said on an episode of the podcast The Town with Matthew Belloni. "If you want to debate her, you can go on Twitter."
A spokesperson for HBO previously said that "J.K. Rowling has a right to express her personal views," and the network "will remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement."
