JK Rowling says David Tennant is part of ‘gender Taliban’ after trans rights support

Harry Potter author said Tennant and white male celebrities receive ‘special dispensation’ from the media

During his acceptance speech, Tennant said he was “a little depressed” about being awarded for believing that everyone has the right to “be who they want to be and live their life how they want to live it as long as they’re not hurting anyone else.”

“Because it’s common sense, isn’t it?” he said, before calling out UK Minister for Women and Equalities Kemi Badenoch, who’s previously said she would shut out trans women from certain spaces.

“However, until we wake up and Kemi Badenoch doesn’t exist anymore – I don’t wish ill of her, I just wish her to shut up – whilst we do live in this world, I am honored to receive this,” Tennant added.

Badenoch later responded on social media, calling the Scottish actor “a rich, lefty, white male celebrity so blinded by ideology he can’t see the optics of attacking the only Black woman in government by calling publicly for my existence to end.”