The Danish Girl's Eddie Redmayne Denounces J.K. Rowling's Transphobia 

Actor Eddie Redmayne, who was nominated for an Oscar for playing a transgender woman in The Danish Girl (2015) and who has starred in the Fantastic Beasts films, denounced that the anti-trans rhetoric of that series's creator, J.K. Rowling, in a statement to Variety.

Harry Potter creator Rowling unleashed a stream of transphobic tweets over the weekend, causing swift backlash on social media and prompting a public denunciation of her dangerous trans-exclusionary radical feminist (TERF) agenda from Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe.

"Respect for transgender people remains a cultural imperative, and over the years I have been trying to constantly educate myself. This is an ongoing process," Redmayne, who controversially starred as trans pioneer Lili Erbe, wrote about his own journey. "As someone who has worked with both J.K. Rowling and members of the trans community, I wanted to make it absolutely clear where I stand."

"I disagree with Jo's comments. Trans women are women, trans men are men and non-binary identities are valid," Redmayne said. "I would never want to speak on behalf of the community but I do know that my dear transgender friends and colleagues are tired of this constant questioning of their identities, which all too often results in violence and abuse. They simply want to live their lives peacefully, and it's time to let them do so."

Earlier this week, Radcliffe, who starred in all eight of the Harry Potter blockbusters, spoke up for trans people.

"Transgender women are women," he continued. "Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I. According to The Trevor Project, 78 percent of transgender and nonbinary youth reported being the subject of discrimination due to their gender identity. It's clear that we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm."

On Saturday, Rowling wrote several anti-trans statements invoking transphobic language adopted by TERFs.

The transphobia on display coincides with the start of Pride Month and nationwide protests against police brutality against the Black community that include marchers seeking justice for the recent killing of Tony McDade, a Black trans man, at the hands of police.

Rowling followed up her initial tweets by dragging lesbians into her rant when she retweeted an article with the headline "Anonymous Letter From a Terrified Lesbian" on the TERF site The Velvet Chronicle.

"I've never felt as shouted down, ignored, and targeted as a lesbian *within* our supposed GLBT community as I have over the past couple of years," Rowling quoted from the article in her tweet as if she has a right to speak on behalf of lesbians.

The Harry Potter author's history of anti-trans pronouncements on social media went full tilt last December when she tweeted her support of a British woman, Maya Forstater, who was fired for her anti-trans rhetoric on social media.