Harry Potter star Evanna Lynch praises JK Rowling for ‘amplifying the voices of detransitioners’

Evanna Lynch, best known for playing Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter films, has retracted her former criticism of JK Rowling’s comments on trans people.

In 2020, Lynch said Rowling was “on the wrong side of this debate”, and called her “irresponsible” for using Twitter discuss the “delicate topic” of trans rights.

But in a new interview with The Daily Telegraph, Lynch changed tack. She said that she was “very naive” when she made her original comments.

“I didn’t even know there were two sides. I had a view of, like, good and bad. I do have compassion for both sides of the argument,” she said, claiming that she didn’t want to “add” to trans people’s “pain”.

Lynch went on to praise Rowling for “amplifying the voices of detransitioners”.

In her lengthy ‘TERF Wars’ essay, Rowling had expressed concern about the “increasing numbers” of trans women “who seem to be detransitioning”.

“I had this impulse to go, ‘Let’s all just stop talking about it’, and I think probably I’m a bit braver now about having uncomfortable conversations,” Lynch said.

A study published last month indicated that out of 1989 people who underwent gender reassignment surgery, only six individuals wished to detransition. That’s 0.3 per cent.

Similarly, a 2022 study found that 97.5 per cent of children who come out as trans still identify as such after five years.

Lynch also expressed that she would “always defend [Rowling’s] character,” as she thinks the controversial writer “advocates” for vulnerable people.

“I just felt that her character has always been to advocate for the most vulnerable members of society. The problem is that there’s a disagreement over who’s the most vulnerable,” she said.

“I do wish people would just give her more grace and listen to her.” 

‘I’m a bit braver now about having uncomfortable conversations’

The actor continued by taking aim at cancel culture, comparing it to the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

“During the height of the Troubles, the way of dealing with it was to kind of shut down people who disagree with you… and I do see a parallel in today’s whole cancel culture thing.”

Trans people and LGBTQ+ allies are criticising Lynch for failing to condemn the “real harm” they say Rowling is inflicting on the community.

“Well, we can strike Evanna Lynch off the ally list,” one person wrote. “The time for giving Rowling any grace is long past and anything other than condemnation of the real harms she’s doing to trans people/the queer community.”

Another person said it was “so crushing” to see “someone who portrayed a character you related to ignore harm done to people”.

“Disappointing to see Evanna Lynch defend JKR so staunchly,” said a third.

Rowling, who maintains that she is not transphobic and that her concerns merely regard women’s rights, recently claimed that she “never set out to upset anyone” with her views.