‘Pose’ Cast Blasts J.K. Rowling for ‘Harmful’ Anti-Trans Views (EXCLUSIVE)
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The cast and creative team of FX’s “Pose” are speaking out against J.K. Rowling’s comments about transgender identity.
“I think she’s speaking from this place of just sheer stupidity,” Indya Moore, who plays Angel on “Pose,” told Variety on Wednesday afternoon. “I mean, it’s just so dumb. She’s not even understanding how much death and violence are behind all of those opinions that she’s sharing on social media right now. Like she’s contributing to so much violence through her airing out her thoughts and ideas and opinions. She’s contributing to a stigma that is continuing to take our lives today.”
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Moore admitted that they, like many young LGBTQIA people, were fans of “Harry Potter” because it provided an “escape” and even a sense of “liberation.” “It’s so hurtful but also I’m not surprised by it,” they said.
“Pose” co-creator Steven Canals echoed Moore’s belief. “In this moment, her opinion is really harmful and damaging and just not necessary.”
He added, “I think the issue is her lack of an acknowledgement or realization that it’s her privilege that allows her to even be able to voice those opinions in the first place. What I would want to say to her, one cis-person to another, is true allyship is knowing when to fall back and to listen to what the community needs from you. It’s being an active listener.”
Dominque Jackson, who plays Elektra, said Rowling’s words have prompted her to work harder in fighting for transgender rights and equality. “We continue to do the work that we do,” she said. “And we do it even more, even harder than we have done before.”
Jackson said she wasn’t feeling as inspired last week after learning of Iyanna Dior, a black trans woman who survived a brutal attack by a group of men and women in Minneapolis. Like the death of George Floyd, the attack was caught on camera. “I just gave up because all I saw was us not having hope. What are we going to do? We’re going to die and people are just going to walk all over us and say, ‘Oh, well, they deserve it because of who they are,’” Jackson said. “But then I realized that our strength is in standing up. Our strength is in me not sitting here and being an agoraphobic and not going outside. My strength is in getting up and going outside, getting onto social media and talking to people.”
Mj Rodriguez, who plays Blanca, said, “It’s really important to distance yourself away from anybody like that. They’re clearly stuck in a generational gap of an understanding of something…We’re in a different time and era.”
On Wednesday morning, Rowling shared an essay defending her speaking out on transgender issues. Several stars from the “Harry Potter” franchise, like Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Eddie Redmayne, have weighed in on Rowling’s tweets, in addition to Warner Bros.’ issuing a statement Wednesday night.
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