A new play, TERF, that critiques JK Rowling’s views on transgender issues is set to premiere at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The comedy imagines an intervention staged by the Harry Potter film actors—Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint—to persuade Rowling to reconsider her stance on the trans debate. Trelawny Kean, who plays Emma Watson, describes the plot as an intervention by the actors aimed at getting Rowling to change her position.
Rowling’s frequent posts on X (formerly Twitter) regarding her belief that biological sex is immutable have made her a contentious figure among transgender rights campaigners. Critics argue she has misgendered a British trans broadcaster, leading them to label her as a “terf,” which stands for “trans-exclusionary radical feminist.”
Despite the controversial subject matter, US writer and director Joshua Kaplan insists TERF is not a character assassination of Rowling. Instead, it explores trans rights and the loss of nuance in social media discourse. Kaplan emphasizes the play’s focus on how social media affects conversations and diminishes nuance.
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The production has already faced challenges, including changing its title to remove an offensive word and switching venues due to concerns about backlash. The character “X,” a trans figure in the play, will remain anonymous in the program. Barry Church-Woods, co-founder of the production company Civil Disobedience, expressed concern about the potential for violent rhetoric surrounding the play.
Rowling, who lives near Edinburgh where she wrote many of the Harry Potter books, remains a polarizing figure. The city hosts the world’s largest arts festival every August, drawing thousands of artists to the Fringe for exposure. Kaplan clarifies that the play is staged at the Fringe for its artistic opportunities, not due to Rowling’s ties to Edinburgh.
The debate over trans rights has been particularly heated in Scotland. In 2022, the devolved government passed a bill making it easier to change one’s gender, which was subsequently vetoed by the UK government. The Harry Potter stars have publicly acknowledged their complex relationship with Rowling. Daniel Radcliffe, for example, expressed sadness over their estrangement, while Rupert Grint described their relationship as “tricky.”
Rowling sparked controversy in December 2019 by supporting a researcher who was fired for tweeting that transgender people cannot change their biological sex. Radcliffe and Watson distanced themselves from Rowling, even after she explained her views in an essay detailing her experiences as a survivor of sexual assault and domestic violence. Rowling and her supporters maintain that her stance is not transphobic but centered on protecting women’s sex-based rights. However, her views have also made her a target of trans activists and have led to death threats.
Kean describes the play as “very funny” and likens the relationship between the actors and Rowling to a family dynamic. The play incorporates scenes from Rowling’s past, providing context for her current opinions. Addressing the “art versus the artist” debate, Kaplan aims to explore how one can appreciate Rowling’s fictional world while disagreeing with her views.
