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Mark Hamill Clarifies Trans Support After Liking J.K. Rowling Tweet
"Twitter is, unfortunately, no place for nuance," he wrote.
Mark Hamill has found himself in hot water after liking a tweet from J.K. Rowling.
Earlier this week, trans newsreader India Willoughby responded to a since-deleted tweet directed at both her and Rowling claiming, “However well JKR represents women, you don’t represent them at all. Pretending to be a woman doesn’t make you a woman.”
Willoughby retweeted the remark, adding, “I’m more of a woman than JK Rowling will ever be.”
The Harry Potter author has made a point in recent years to use her enormous platform to push a brand of feminism that excludes trans women, frequently lashing out against anyone who questions her, particularly trans activists.
So when she subsequently retweeted Willoughby, excluding the original comment, and wrote “Citation needed,” it was difficult for anyone who has been paying attention to read that as anything other than her once again insinuating that trans women are not women.
\u201cCitation needed.\u201d— J.K. Rowling (@J.K. Rowling) 1674411168
Hamill liked this tweet, which immediately caught fans’ attention, particularly as the actor has become known for championing progressive causes over the years, including explicitly supporting trans rights in the past.
After fans called him out on the interaction, Hamill eventually defended himself by claiming he was actually supporting “someone speaking their truth to power.”
“Twitter is, unfortunately, no place for nuance,” he wrote, adding: “It’s imperative I make this abundantly clear: I support human rights for EVERYONE, regardless of their gender identity, PERIOD.”
\u201cWhat I "liked" about this exchange was someone speaking their truth to power. Twitter is, unfortunately, no place for nuance.\nIt's imperative I make this abundantly clear: I support human rights for EVERYONE, regardless of their gender identity, PERIOD.\u201d— Mark Hamill (@Mark Hamill) 1674599179
His response initially left people more confused, questioning who, exactly, he felt was “speaking their truth to power” in this exchange.
\u201c@MarkHamill If he was referring to India - great! Tweet made it sound like the \u201clike\u201d was on JK\u2019s post\u201d— Mark Hamill (@Mark Hamill) 1674599179
\u201c@LindseyBoylan @MarkHamill I think he just should've been more clear he was talking about the screenshot and not saying he likes JK speaking truth to power, cause yeah initially it reads like he's backing JK.\n\nLittle bit confusing but internet confusion is how we ended up here I guess lol.\u201d— Mark Hamill (@Mark Hamill) 1674599179
However, he later liked a tweet suggesting he was referring to Willoughby’s comment, rather than Rowling’s.
While Hamill is correct that Twitter is no place for nuance, it’s also understandable for marginalized groups to feel concern over allies giving the appearance of supporting remarks that undermine their personhood. Fortunately, it seems like this was an instance of misunderstanding, and his reaffirming his support for the trans community was ultimately appreciated by many.
Hamill was reportedly about 30 years old when Return of the Jedi was filmed.
Hamill has given voice to the Joker throughout numerous TV shows, video games, toys, and amusement park rides, starting with Batman: The Animated Series.
Hamill's voice acting career is vast, but some highlights include his work as Batman villain the Joker, Chucky in the Child's Play reboot, and Red Skull in several Marvel productions.
Rachel Kiley is presumably a writer and definitely not a terminator. She can usually be found crying over queerbaiting in the Pitch Perfect franchise or on Twitter, if not both.
Rachel Kiley is presumably a writer and definitely not a terminator. She can usually be found crying over queerbaiting in the Pitch Perfect franchise or on Twitter, if not both.
