Brian Cox has defended JK Rowling and insisted she shouldn't be "castigated".
Brian Cox has defended JK Rowling
The 'Harry Potter' author has been branded transphobic for speaking out in defence of single-sex spaces for women and now the 'Succession' actor has insisted she should be entitled to put forward her viewpoint, whether or not people agree with her.
He told the Sunday Times Culture magazine: "Whatever you think of her, she’s entitled to a view about her own body and womanhood because she’s a woman. You can disagree but can’t castigate her. Who are you?”
The 76-year-old actor insisted there needs to be a "conversation of compassion" about the transgender debate because it is such a complicated issue.
Insisting he doesn't think 16 year olds should be able to make a legal decision about changing their gender, he said: "Transgenderism has to be talked about. It has to be understood.
"Because I’m hearing about kids aged 12 or 13 who are questioning their gender. And that’s fine. There’s a reality to that, but also a fantasy.
"You can’t damn them. But you’ve got to understand the climate they live in.
"They want an answer, but there aren’t easy answers. And gross simplification makes things slightly barbaric.
“We need a conversation of compassion. For both elements.
"A woman is entitled to views about her body and to feel critical of the transgender movement. She might not be right, but she is entitled and we forget that. We’re so ready to damn people. It’s a modern form of McCarthyism.”
Brian is known to be outspoken on political issues but he admitted it is only in recent years he has stopped being "afraid" to express his opinions.
He said: "For a long time one has been afraid to speak.
“When I was younger I felt I didn’t know anything. But I’m 76 now and so, maybe, I have earned a right. Especially when so many opinions around me are wrong.
“I don’t feel trammelled in the way I did. I love the UK, but it is feudal. I suffered from that a lot in life and I didn’t think I was worthy enough, or educated. I was not in control, but as you get older you think, ‘I’m not afraid of my opinion.’”
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