Harry Potter fans have taken issue with JK Rowling for what they described as an ‘uncalled for’ sarcastic comment directed at David Tennant.
By now, it is widely known that the creator of the Wizarding World has become quite a divisive figure, with many people even choosing to distance themselves from the series entirely due to her public statements.
Over the years, Rowling has faced repeated accusations of transphobia, which have sparked intense backlash. Earlier this year, she stirred even more controversy when she expressed that she could never forgive certain Harry Potter stars for voicing their support for trans rights.
Yet despite the criticism, Rowling hasn’t held back on social media, and this past weekend, she made a pointed remark aimed at Tennant. The timing of her post coincided with Kemi Badenoch winning the Tory leadership vote on Saturday, November 2.
The background to this situation goes back to June when Tennant was honored with a British LGBT Award for Celebrity Ally.
During his acceptance speech, Tennant expressed his wish for Badenoch to ‘shut up’ and hoped for a world where she ‘doesn’t exist’.
Badenoch, known for her outspoken stance on trans rights, spearheaded the party’s election commitment to make biological sex a protected category under the Equality Act. This could potentially lead to trans women being restricted from participating in sports and accessing certain public facilities like hospital wards.
Following the announcement of Badenoch’s new position, Rowling reposted the news with a noticeably sarcastic message.
As a former Labour party supporter, she wrote on X: “My thoughts and prayers are with David Tennant at this very difficult time.”
People quickly responded to Rowling’s post, with some sharing: “Picking a fight with David Tennant is a CRAZY move.”
Referring to Tennant’s appearance as Barty Crouch Jr. in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, another fan added: “Reminder that David Tennant is one of the many people who helped make your story be as famous as it is.”
While a few individuals sided with Rowling, others noted that Tennant probably ‘doesn’t care much about who’s in charge’.
Someone else commented: “David Tennant is a much better person than you will ever be.”
Some readers called Rowling’s comment ‘uncalled for’, while others highlighted Tennant’s original speech and shared it widely.
At the time, Badenoch responded to Tennant’s words with: “I will not shut up. I will not be silenced by men who prioritise applause from Stonewall over the safety of women and girls.”
“A rich, lefty, white male celebrity so blinded by ideology he can’t see the optics of attacking the only Black woman in government by calling publicly for my existence to end.”
During the launch of her campaign for the leadership role, Badenoch remarked that she was not ‘afraid of Doctor Who’, as many continued to support Tennant’s advocacy for trans rights.
