Stephen Fry has claimed that JK Rowling’s “cruel” and “mocking” views on transgender people is a result of being “radicalised”.
The QI star, who narrated the Harry Potter audiobooks, is the latest to speak out against Rowling’s comments on gender ideology, which has seen her repeatedly come under fire.
Many, including stars of the Harry Potter adaptations, have accused her of transphobia – and now Fry, 66, has shared his own damning view on the author.
Fry, who is an advocate for LGBT+ rights, suggested that the “vitriol” her critics send is “unhelpful” as it “only hardens her”.
“She has been radicalised, I fear – perhaps by TERFs [Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist] but also by the vitriol that is thrown at her,” he said to The Show People podcast, adding: “I’m afraid she seems to be a lost cause for us.”
Fry continued: “She started to make these peculiar statements and had very strong, difficult views. She seemed to kick a hornet’s nest of transphobia that has been entirely destructive.”
The presenter and actor was previously criticised by the LGBT+ community in 2022 when he said he would not “abandon” Rowling, who was once his friend, but he is speaking out now as he “disagrees profoundly with her on this subject”.
“She says things that are inflammatory, contemptuous and mocking,” he said. “They add to a terribly distressing time for trans people.”
Fry went on: “When it comes to the transphobia issue, it is right to remind people that trans people are here and that they are hurting. They are being abominably treated. There’s a great deal of bullying, violence, suicide and genuine agony in the trans community.”
The Independent has contacted Rowling for comment.
Rowling has become ostracised from former Harry Potter child stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint due to the controversy – and the author has said she would not forgive the actors for criticising her opinions, telling them to “save their apologies”. She has denied being transphobic.
In contrast, Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy, distanced himself from the subject when he was asked whether Rowling’s views “impact you at all or impact your work in the world of Harry Potter at all”.
He replied: “No, I can’t say it does. I’m not really that attuned to it.
“The only thing I always remind myself is that I’ve been lucky enough to travel the world – here I am in New York – and I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter. And she’s responsible for that, so I’m incredibly grateful.”