I admire Harry Potter’s Paapa Essiedu but his trans support feels hollow

Paapa Essiedu has joined actors condemning the Supreme Court ruling on trans women – but his support feels empty after joining the Harry Potter reboot. 

The open letter, also signed by stars such as Nicola Coughlan, Bella Ramsey and James Norton, declares ‘solidarity with the trans, non-binary, and intersex communities’ and preaches that film and TV as ‘powerful tools for empathy and education’.

‘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 statement, backed up by over 2,000 signatories concludes. 

And while this is a vital and moving act of advocacy from a hugely influential group of people, and not one to be criticised, I am disappointed that Paapa is not able to see the hypocrisy of this stance. 

Ever since the Harry Potter reboot, which has JK Rowling as an executive producer, was announced there has been strong backlash from the trans community and allies clarifying that supporting the author’s career in any way is a huge blow to trans rights. 

After all, not only has she embarked on a years-long social media campaign that has put her at odds with the trans community but, in this specific case, she is a vocal abetter of the Supreme Court ruling. 

The campaign to have the legal definition of woman be defined by biological sex was helmed by For Women Scotland, an organisation to which Rowling has donated £70,000. 

Not to mention the countless number of celebratory posts on X after the victory, including one with the caption: ‘I love it when a plan comes together’ as the trans community across the country mourned such a huge defeat.

All this to say that Rowling is not only a passive champion, but an active funder of biological women’s rights, which has inspired the harmful anti-trans movement gripping the nation – her work can not be untied from this.

So, the I May Destroy You star cannot talk about the power of the TV and film industry to affect change by becoming more conclusive than ever, while happily signing on as Professor Snape in a reboot that will line Rowling’s pocket’s and keep her influence in the mainstream. 

In particular it is bitterly disappointing seeing this double standard from Paapa – a move that has been called out by plenty of people on social media as well – when up until this point he has been such a steadfast advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and participated in vitally important projects like I May Destroy You and Femme. 

In countless press interviews he has spoken about the importance of nuanced queer Black representation and the intentionality with which we should platform diverse stories.

In an interview with AnOther in 2021, he said: ‘It feels like we’re kind of moving towards an era where there are more opportunities for different types of stories to be told, or for different types of people to tell them. 

‘But it needs us to consciously make an effort to platform those stories. That definitely plays into my mind when I’m thinking about what kind of projects to take on board.’

And yet his decision to join Harry Potter feels at such a contradiction with all the illuminating and powerful work he has done up until now. So while I have no doubt he truly believes in supporting trans rights when he signs that letter, it’s a hollow act when your own actions don’t match up, let alone calling on others to do better.

Paapa is hardly the only cast member upholding this double standard. 

Dumbledore star John Lithgow was Oscar-nominated for playing trans woman Roberta in the 1982 movie The World According to Garp but in a recent interview with The Times admitted to being sent messages from friends who have trans children asking him not to take on the role, which he simply dismissed. 

Then, of course, there is McGonagall actor Janet McTreer who was also Oscar nominated for playing a gender-bending character Hubert Page. And in an interview with Curve spoke about the importance of allowing people to just be themselves. 

‘If somebody said to me, “Is Hubert cross-gender, is Hubert transgender?” I’d just go, “I dunno, Hubert’s just Hubert,”’ she said at the time, adding that it’s ‘nobody’s business but theirs.’

And finally, Nick Frost is signed on to star opposite trans comedian Jordan Gray in a new comedy, Transaction about a ‘transgender egomaniac’ – profiting from a project championing trans representation on screen in the same breath as bolstering Rowling’s show.

Although I have never been one to knock those trying to make the world a better place no matter how big or small, like Paapa, we also need to be able to hold people to account and help them understand what more they can be doing. 

Especially given the direct correlation between her wealth and status with the very thing he has called out, the Supreme Court ruling.

In this case it’s crystal clear, signing a letter is not enough to paper over the gaping issues associated with the Harry Potter reboot. 

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk. 

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