Comedian John Cleese has left fans reeling after appearing to support of J.K. Rowling’s trans stance.
The recent controversy began when a tweet by John Cleese from September was reuploaded by another user.
Back in his original tweet, Cleese revealed that he had signed a letter of support for Rowling after she faced backlash for her stance on transgender people.
A Twitter user posted a screenshot of Cleese’s tweet, along with the caption “do tell…?”
When Cleese responded asking what the user “would like” him to tell, another person replied, “that you’re standing in solidarity with transphobia and discrimination?”
From there, someone else also asked him to “be upfront” about how he feels about Rowling’s position on transgender issues.
In response, Cleese revealed that he is “not that interested in trans folks.”
“I just hope they’re happy and that people treat them kindly,” he said.
He continued: “Right now I’m more focussed on threats to democracy in America, the rampant corruption in the UK, the appalling British Press [and] the revelations about police brutality…”
“…Covid19, the incompetence of the British government, China’s complete disregard for the necessity to abandon fossil fuels, the developments in France between Macron and Islamicists, diabetes, and the recent deaths of several of my close friends Does than sound hard-hearted?”
Cleese also tweeted that he “deep down” wanted to be “Cambodian policewoman” in response to a user who asked why he can’t “let people be who they want to be?”
“Is that allowed, or am I being unrealistic?” he added.
Despite admitting his “understanding is superficial,” Cleese went on to say that he believes transgender women “have an advantage.”
“When a woman who was once a man is competing against women who have always been women, I think she has an advantage because she inherited a man’s body, which is usually bigger and stronger than a woman’s,” he wrote.
Does that prove phobia?” he asked users, amid a flurry of disapproving responses.
Rowling herself has not yet weighed in on any of Cleese’s comments.
