The Matrix director Lilly Wachowski says supporting Harry Potter is ‘supporting my eradication’

Lilly Wachowski, the legendary director behind The Matrix, has spoken out against JK Rowling and said anyone who supports Harry Potter is “supporting my eradication”. 

HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter TV show has been the topic of much debate due to Rowling’s involvement as executive producer and rights owner. The author has become an increasingly controversial figure due to her views on sex and gender. 

Since 2020, she has repeatedly spoken out about transgender issues and has used some of her fortune to provide financial and legal support for individuals and groups challenging trans-inclusive spaces, policies and workplace guidelines.

Rowling strongly disputes Wachowski’s characterisation of this as funding efforts to harm transgender people or limit trans rights, with her representative calling the allegations “fabricated”.

Despite denying being transphobic, Rowling’s words and actions have been widely condemned by LGBTQ+ rights groups as anti trans. And so while there’s much anticipation about the Harry Potter show, there are also many former fans vowing to boycott the new series. 

Lilly Wachowski, who co-wrote and directed The Matrix with her sister Lana Wachowski, has chimed in on the issue in a new interview with Variety. 

“She is funding trans genocide. JK Rowling funds trans genocide, full stop. So, if you support Harry Potter, you’re supporting trans genocide,” she explained. “The money that goes into you enjoying these products, a portion of that money goes to JK Rowling and that money goes into her funding anti-trans legislation all over the world.”

The filmmaker – who now co-runs Anarchists United, a foundation and studio dedicated to championing stories from marginalised communities – went on to compare it to boycotting Elon Musk. 

“In the same way that if you are against Elon Musk, you boycott or don’t buy Tesla; and if you’re against global warming/climate change, you try not to buy as much gas, you try to mitigate your use of these products. It’s simple math,” she said. 

“So, your enjoyment of these shows, and continued support of these shows, is supporting my eradication.”

Rowling has since responded to Lilly’s comments through her agent Neil Blair. The statement reads, “Freedom of speech is a principle we should all cherish. 

“What matters is that JK Rowling’s views, as with anyone else’s, are represented accurately, fairly and respectfully and that individual opinion does not detract from those views.

“To correct Lilly Wachowski, through The JK Rowling Women’s Fund, JK Rowling supports women taking legal action in the UK to preserve their existing rights under the Equality Act 2010, which are often overlooked or threatened. She does not support legal actions aimed at harming transgender people or efforts to limit trans rights.

“People are free to disagree with her views but seriously defamatory allegations of this nature, even outrageously invoking the Nazi’s and the genocide that they committed, should never be presented as fact when they are clearly fabricated and not based on any evidence.”

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Featured image credit: Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock/X/JK Rowling