Mick Hartley

Admitting to gender-critical beliefs in the theatrical world now must be something like coming out as gay in the old world of football or rugby league. If you've any sense you'll keep it to yourself, and if you don't – well, god help you. Here's the latest:

A group of actors who have appeared in the film adaptations of JK Rowling’s books have signed an open letter pledging their “solidarity” with the LGBT community.

Eddie Redmayne, an Oscar-winning actor who appeared in the Fantastic Beasts films, and Katie Leung, who played Cho Chang in Harry Potter, are among the 400 stars who have raised concerns about the impact of the Supreme Court ruling on biological sex.

It has also been signed by The Last Of Us actor Bella Ramsey, Happy Valley star James Norton, The Brutalist actor Joe Alwyn, Babygirl star Harris Dickinson and Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan, who previously said she was “disgusted” by the ruling.

Other notable signatories include Paapa Essiedu, who has been cast as Severus Snape in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series.

The list goes on. I'd like to think there were at least a few who, on being approached, told the luvvie activists to fuck off. I doubt it though: that would be a career-ending move. 

The letter said that the film and television community had previously come together to further the Me Too and Black Lives Matter movements by “reflecting” upon working practices and “uplifting” a broad spectrum of voices.

“We believe the ruling undermines the lived reality and threatens the safety of trans, non-binary, and intersex people living in the UK,” it added. “We must now urgently work to ensure that our trans, non-binary, and intersex colleagues, collaborator…s and audiences are protected from discrimination and harassment in all areas of the industry — whether on set, in a production office, or at a cinema.”

It said: “Film and television are powerful tools for empathy and education, and 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.”

Ah, the right side of history. Alas, they seem to be facing backwards. The tide isn't coming in: it's going out.