“It’s privelege”: Emma Watson’s saying she hopes to “keep loving” J.K. Rowling despite “deep divide” prompts outrage

Emma Watson is facing fresh scrutiny after saying she still wants to “treasure” and “keep loving” author J.K. Rowling, despite their apparent rift over trans rights. On a recent podcast, Watson reflected on her complicated relationship with the Harry Potter author, noting that while she disagrees with Rowling’s outspoken anti-trans stance, she still feels affection for the person she once knew.

Many trans people and their supporters didn’t appreciate this, while others argued that Watson‘s comments were taken out of context.

Can Emma Watson still “treasure” J.K. Rowling?

In a recent episode of “On Purpose With Jay Shetty,” posted on Wednesday, Watson spoke on the reasons why she stepped away from Hollywood and the public eye after becoming such a massive celebrity as a child. As the conversation shifted to her activism and relationship with Rowling, she struggled to walk a fine line.

“I really don’t believe that by having had that experience and holding the love and support and views that I have, mean that I can’t and don’t treasure Jo and the person that I had personal experiences with,” she said.

“I think it’s my deepest wish that I hope people who don’t agree with my opinion will love me, and I hope I can keep loving people who I don’t necessarily share the same opinion with.”

Watson came out in support of the trans community in 2020, along with multiple Harry Potter co-stars, after Rowling posted her notorious and lengthy essay on why she thinks the existence of this community threatens cisgender women. Her tweet wasn’t exactly groundbreaking, but the message was clear.

“Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are,” she wrote.

During the podcast interview, Watson suggested that she never had a real conversation with Rowling about her views and that she strongly regrets missing that chance.

“I think the thing I’m most upset about is that a conversation was never made possible.”

“The most nothing burger activist”: Critics drag Watson’s comments

To those who cannot get behind Rowling’s anti-trans views—supported by her large donations to explicitly anti-trans groups—Watson saying that she still has love for the author was never going to be acceptable.

“Privileged white moderates like Jimmy Kimmel and Emma Watson portraying the bigotry of Charlie Kirk and JK Rowling as a matter of opinion is extremely dangerous at this moment of rising fascism,” wrote @iamjourjean on X. “F*ck these people.”

“Emma Watson is the most nothing burger activist i’ve ever seen in my life how do you fight for literally nothing while pretending you’re an activist,” remarked @taacaraz.

“Saying you can ‘still love’ Rowling while she openly attacks trans people just shows you are insulated from the damage she causes… That’s not grace, it is privilege!!” wrote @CJayFenty.

Meanwhile, some drew on past Rowling drama to suggest that the author doesn’t love Emma back. User @ViaVolterra1312 posted a screenshot of Rowling possibly hinting that the Harry Potter trio ruins films for her with the comment, “babe…stand up, she hates you.”

Watson’s fans argue her words were taken out of context

Others, however, took Watson’s words another way. User @dilfoy says it’s “baffling to me how yall see a single sentence from an hour long interview and immediately freak out without listening to the context,” opining that Watson “is just saying that she can still appreciate her childhood memories.”

Even if this is true, explicitly anti-trans accounts are taking Watson’s remarks as a sign that she’s secretly anti-trans, too.

“Emma Watson is struggling with her cognitive dissonance,” claimed @OkayBiology. “She knows JK Rowling is speaking the truth but wants to cling onto the lies of trans ideology regardless.”

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