Pedro Pascal, renowned for his roles in acclaimed series like The Last of Us, The Mandalorian, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, has publicly criticized JK Rowling due to her controversial stance on transgender issues. This backlash comes in response to Rowling's support of a recent UK Supreme Court decision that defines "woman" strictly as "a biological woman and biological sex" for the purposes of equality legislation, effectively excluding transgender women from protections under the Equality Act.
Rowling's endorsement of this ruling was marked by a celebratory social media post on Twitter/X, where she shared an image of herself enjoying a cigar and a drink by the ocean, captioned, "I love it when a plan comes together." This statement was a nod to her financial contributions to For Scotland Women, the organization behind the lawsuit.
Pedro Pascal has consistently shown support for the transgender community. Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for The Walt Disney Company Limited.
The controversy escalated when writer and activist Tariq Raouf posted a video denouncing Rowling's actions as "serious Voldemort villain sht" and called for a boycott of all things related to Harry Potter. In response to Raouf's video, Pascal commented, "Awful disgusting SHT is exactly right. Heinous LOSER behavior," aligning himself firmly with the transgender community.
Pascal's advocacy for transgender rights is not new. He has previously shared strong sentiments on social media, stating, "I can’t think of anything more vile and small and pathetic than terrorizing the smallest, most vulnerable community of people who want nothing from you, except the right to exist," accompanied by an image of a sign that read, "A world without trans people has never existed and never will." Additionally, he made a statement at the premiere of Thunderbolts in London by wearing a shirt that read "Protect the dolls," a term used within the LGBTQIA+ community to refer to trans women.
The actor's support for the transgender community is deeply personal as well; his sister, Lux Pascal, publicly came out as a trans woman in 2021. Pedro Pascal celebrated her announcement with a heartfelt post, "Mi hermana, mi corazón, nuestra Lux," translating to "My sister, my heart, our Lux," demonstrating his unwavering support for her and the broader transgender community.
