As debates over trans rights continue to ripple through British culture, two very different corners of public life—education and entertainment—have found themselves at the heart of the conversation. On September 24, 2025, a wave of support and controversy swept through the United Kingdom, with high-profile figures in both the Harry Potter franchise and the teaching profession publicly grappling with the impact of trans rights and representation.
In the world of entertainment, Michelle Gomez, the acclaimed Scottish actress known for roles in Doctor Who and Sabrina, became the latest star to address concerns about J.K. Rowling’s anti-trans statements. Earlier in the week, Deadline reported that Gomez would lend her voice to Professor McGonagall in Pottermore Publishing and Audible’s upcoming Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions. The announcement, however, was met with mixed reactions from fans—particularly those in the LGBTQ+ community—who have grown increasingly vocal about Rowling’s public opposition to trans rights.
Taking to her Instagram Story on Wednesday, Gomez delivered a heartfelt message to her followers. “To my LGBTQ+ fans, and especially the trans community: I want to speak directly to the concerns that have been raised about my involvement in this project,” she wrote, as reported by Entertainment Weekly. “I hear you, and I understand why this is painful for many. I want to be clear that I stand with trans people, and I support trans rights – fully and without hesitation.”
Gomez went on to acknowledge the complexity of her decision to participate in the project. “When I accepted this role, I did so as someone who has always loved the stories and what they meant to so many – especially those who found comfort and identity in that world. I now understand more clearly how deeply complicated and hurtful this association can feel, and I take that seriously.” She concluded with a pledge: “Being an ally means listening even when it’s uncomfortable and taking accountability where it’s needed. I’m committed to doing both.”
This statement comes amid intensifying scrutiny of J.K. Rowling’s involvement in new Harry Potter projects. Rowling, who has celebrated the UK Supreme Court’s recent decision to restrict legal recognition of trans women, remains an executive producer on the upcoming HBO Max Harry Potter television series. According to Deadline, she was actively involved in the show’s pitch process and continues to exert creative influence through her Brontë Film and TV banner.
The backlash against Rowling’s stance has been substantial. More than 400 people recently signed a letter urging the UK film and television industry to take meaningful action in response to her comments. Among the signatories is Paapa Essiedu, cast as Professor Snape in the new HBO Max series, signaling that resistance to Rowling’s views is not limited to fans but extends to those working within the franchise itself.
HBO Chairman and CEO Casey Bloys addressed the controversy directly, telling reporters on September 24, 2025, that Rowling’s role as executive producer would continue, but the company’s main focus would be on the enduring messages of the books. “Our priority is what’s on the screen. Obviously, the Harry Potter story is incredibly affirmative and positive and about love and self-acceptance. That’s our priority—what’s on screen,” Bloys explained, according to Deadline.
Meanwhile, in the education sector, a different kind of milestone could be on the horizon. On the same day, an open letter was published endorsing Kacey DeGroot, a drama teacher from Coventry, for election as deputy general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU)—Europe’s largest teaching union, representing around 500,000 members. If successful, DeGroot would become the first trans person to hold the union’s second-in-command role, a move widely seen as both groundbreaking and necessary by her supporters.
DeGroot, who served five years as the LGBTQ+ seat holder for the NEU executive, is running on a platform of fighting anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric in schools and championing equality, representation, and social justice. She faces Sarah Kilpatrick, an art teacher, in the election, with postal ballots due by September 30, 2025.
The open letter backing DeGroot was signed by a constellation of LGBTQ+ activists and celebrities, including RuPaul’s Drag Race UK stars Baga Chipz, Bimini, Divina De Campo, and Kitty Scott-Claus, as well as Drag Queen Story Hour founder Aida H Dee, former Stonewall boss Nancy Kelley, UK Black Pride founder Phyll Opoku-Gymah, and I Kissed a Girl star Amy Spalding. Their message was both urgent and poignant: “As LGBT+ people we know and understand the powerful impact places of education can have on LGBT+ young people. This impact can be empowering, affirming, and liberating. Or it can be debilitating, humiliating and crushing. It can be the difference between life and death.”
The letter continued, “With trans-denial in new RSE guidance, the recent Supreme Court ruling and impending guidance on trans students from the EHRC code of practice review, it is not only critical we have a strong LGBT+ voice at the table, it’s life-saving.” DeGroot, the signatories argued, is “not only perfectly placed to take on this role as a proven change maker, but that it’s vital that a trans woman of her experience and stature not only have a voice but a leading place at the table.”
On her campaign website, DeGroot explained her motivation for seeking the position. “I’m a fifty something trans woman who transitioned as a forty-something in the same Coventry secondary school,” she wrote. “Back in 2017 I was accepted and welcomed by my school community. I’ve watched the reality for trans people shift, largely through right-wing-driven and funded ‘culture wars’. My workplace has changed dramatically because of this.”
DeGroot’s track record is notable. Under her leadership, the number of LGBTQ+ NEU members grew from 14,000 to 20,000 since her last election, and LGBTQ+ educators are now overrepresented as union reps, officers, and district secretaries. “My lived experience and understanding of oppression has driven my work as LGBT+ executive member. I speak up and I speak out. Not only for trans and LGBT+ rights but also for Black members and students, Disabled people, and women,” she emphasized.
She also underscored the significance of her candidacy at this moment in history: “I believe that, in these times, a trans woman as part of the leadership of the NEU will be groundbreaking and narrative shifting. I will use the platform for all of our members and workplaces.”
The dual stories of Michelle Gomez and Kacey DeGroot reflect a broader reckoning underway in British society. Whether in the magical halls of Hogwarts or the classrooms of Coventry, questions about who gets to belong—and who gets to lead—are being asked with renewed urgency. As both the entertainment and education sectors navigate these turbulent waters, the voices of trans advocates and allies are making it clear: the stakes are high, the conversations are necessary, and the future is being written in real time.
