With the announcement of Troubled Blood, writer J.K. Rowling is once again being accused of transphobia. Robbie Coltrane, the actor who plays Rubeus Hagrid in Harry Potter, came to her defense.
Rowling’s novel focuses on a transvestite serial killer, described by Pink News as “a murderous cis man who dresses a woman to kill his victims,” in their review. According to the review, the overarching moral of the story seems to be “never trust a man in a dress.”
The information about the new novel sparked rage and accusations of being a TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) on social media.
The Harry Potter author had already come under fire once before for talking about an article that she claimed “erased” women. In a Twitter thread, she wrote, “If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.” She then doubled down on her thoughts in a blog post.
Her words led to backlash not just from the general public, but also from Harry Potter cast members like Evanna Lynch, Emma Watson, and the Boy Who Lived himself, Daniel Radcliffe. The actors voiced their solidarity with the transgender community and denounced Rowling’s opinion.
When news of Rowling’s new novel spread, a similar uproar began, which led to Coltrane’s remarks in support of the writer. “I don’t think what she said was offensive really. I don’t know why but there’s a whole Twitter generation of people who hang around waiting to be offended,” the actor said. “That’s me talking like a grumpy old man, but you just think, ‘Oh, get over yourself. Wise up, stand up straight and carry on.'”
Many others joined Coltrane in dismissing the criticism thrown towards Rowling. “I’m really troubled by the JK Rowling news cycle,” tweeted writer Helen Lewis. “It looks like the Telegraph published a review with a clickbait headline. That got followed up by Pink News, who presented it in the most culture war terms possible. Two publications monetizing outrage.”
