Paapa Essiedu signs letter supporting UK trans rights, but he’s still working with JK Rowling

It really is crunch time. With the Supreme Court ruling in relation to the Equality Act 201o that women are defined purely by biological sex, those who oppose the rights of trans people to use single sex spaces are rejoicing in the most stomach churningly gleeful of ways. No more so than JK Rowling – whose picture captioned “I love it when a plan comes together” as she smokes a cigar on a luxury yacht felt almost parody in its relishing of the news that has caused so many trans people such distress. The move has prompted people to question how they feel about still supporting Harry Potter – and with the upcoming HBO show’s cast having eyebrows raised about where they stand on the matter as they continue to make Rowling bank. Paapa Essiedu, who will be playing Severus Snape in the Harry Potter reboot, signed a letter supporting trans rights in the UK in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling – but the actor is getting called out online on if this is enough when he continues to work with executive producer JK Rowling as the Harry Potter show moves forward at HBO.

Put your money where your mouth is

Paapa Essiedu, recently cast as Professor Severus Snape in the ‘Harry Potter’ reboot series, has signed an open letter in support of trans rights in the U.K.

The news follows J.K. Rowling’s public support of a recent U.K. Supreme Court ruling that defines gender based on… pic.twitter.com/Z0B9XIjWkg

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Paapa Essiedu is one of many from the film and television industry who have endorsed an open letter urging key institutions to take a stand in support of trans rights. The letter, a show of solidarity with the trans and non-binary community, calls on organisations like Bafta, the BBC, BFI, and Channel 4 to actively foster inclusion and protection for trans individuals. Initiated by producer Sid Strickland and script editor Jack Casey, the campaign emerged in response to a recent UK Supreme Court decision that legally defines womanhood based solely on biological sex.

“Film and television are powerful tools for empathy and education, and we believe passionately in the ability of the screen to change hearts and minds. This is our opportunity to be on the right side of history,” the letter reads.

Other Harry Potter alumni like Eddie Redmayne also signed the letter. JK Rowling has denied being transphobic, but she repeatedly calls trans women by masculine pronouns daily on Twitter and has said she’d rather go to jail than refer to a trans person by their preferred pronouns.

Whilst it is a noble act to make this stand, I can’t help but feel that signing this letter whilst continuing to work towards a show that will increase the wealth of Rowling, who’s already a billionaire, feels hollow.

People online have called out Paapa Essiedu for signing the letter supporting trans rights whilst also getting paid from this show and making money from JK Rowling – who herself funded £70,000 to the group who were instrumental in getting the Supreme Court to make their ruling. One said he is “having his cake and eating it too”.

It’s in contrast to Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan, who has raised thousands for trans organisations since the ruling and has been incredibly vocal in her support for the trans community, who also signed the letter whilst saying she wouldn’t go near a Harry Potter project “with a 10 foot pole”.

If you care for trans people and their rights in the UK, and you have a massive platform, I can’t think of a more timely way to show support than truly making a stand. Whilst Essiedu’s co-star Jon Lithgow – playing Dumbledore in the reboot HBO show – called the backlash towards people boycotting the Harry Potter reboot as “odd” and said that Rowling’s views shouldn’t impact the series, Paapa Essiedu could be the ally trans people need.

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