One minute she was a childhood icon who everyone adored and admired … the next she was the centre of controversy and scorned by many. J K Rowling’s global impact never ceases to amaze me, and that is for being so contradictory in nature.
That all too familiar triumph over adversity narrative, scribbling away inside the Edinburgh café whilst struggling to support herself and her daughter, was a tale that comforted and inspired many budding authors. After watching one of her documentaries, my writing journal and I were inseparable. There I’d be, frantically writing down any spontaneous ideas in a bid to become the next best-selling author. Yet now, seeing my Twitter notifications spiral into a frenzy, it’s like I’m entering a parallel universe.
The author of Harry Potter seems to have published a new series that has taken twitter by storm; Bombastic Bigots and where you can MOST DEFINITELY find them!
“disguising Rowling’s bigotry as “reasonable questioning” serves only to misrepresent its reality – flagrant ignorance and discrimination.”
Critics worldwide were quick to call out Rowling for her slew of openly transphobic and insensitive tweets. These tweets, and her subsequent ‘likes’ have not only been branded as “beyond offensive” but also a dangerous “threat to the LGBTQ+ community”. Yet, there are still people who defend Rowling’s actions. One Twitter user, Andrew Sullivan, asserted that she has a “reasonable” opinion on “trans questions”, and that her backlash is just another example of toxic cancel culture.
Ultimately, however, disguising Rowling’s bigotry as “reasonable questioning” serves only to misrepresent its reality – flagrant ignorance and discrimination.
Twitter Tirade
In response to an article about menstruation products that used the term “people who menstruate”, Rowling tweeted her dislike of the phrase by writing “I’m sure there used to be a word for those people… Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”. Nothing more than a blatant example of mockery and erasure of Transgender identity. Sadly, she has only continued to delve deeper into the dark arts of transphobia and narcissism. In early July, she produced a tweet where she compares hormone therapy to “a new kind of conversion therapy.” Comments such as these not only normalise the spread of misinformation to further a hateful agenda but are also incredibly harmful towards an already stigmatised minority group.
One notable example is how, after being called out for her transphobia, she tweeted in her defence: “I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.” The thing is, it’s not the truth is it?
An Empty Argument
“Transgender identity allows us to move beyond the socially constructed dichotomy of gender normative stereotypes”
As is the case with so many transphobes, she is arguing against a position that nobody actually has. No one is saying chromosomes aren’t real, Joanne! And no-one is saying that we should erase the term “women.” Transgender identity allows us to move beyond the socially constructed dichotomy of gender normative stereotypes, e.g. menstruation is a biological function; however, it’s not necessarily something that can define your gender identity. It’s about learning that there can always be something else in between, rather than just one or the other. After all, we all know how there was something special between the established Platforms 9 and 10 at Kings Cross!
By continually distorting facts, she is making it much harder for trans people to exist. Her comparison between legitimate medical transition care and “conversion therapy” that will harm “young gay people” is, at best, a lack of education on the subject, and at worst, equates a harmful identity-erasing practice with genuine medical support. All posted online, to manipulate her 14 million followers into supporting arguments that segregate Trans people from the LGBTQ+ community.
The Sullied Legacy of Harry Potter
Fortunately, her array of unforgivable curses haven’t been as effective as those in her novels. Many celebrities, including actors from the Harry Potter film franchise, have spoken out against Rowling’s comments. One such critic is the president of the Robert F Kennedy Human Rights group’s (RFKHR), who described her views as transphobic. Rowling has since ‘returned’ a human rights award from RFKHR, in a move that displays only a stubbornness to educate herself on the trans community, valuing her pride over human rights.
I, along with many in the fan base, have resonated strongly with Harry Potter. Some reoccurring themes in the series include messages of love and tolerance, even when faced with social prejudice. These hopeful messages just don’t mesh with her transphobia; her comments aren’t just objectionable – they’re blatantly hypocritical. Up until this point, Rowling has upheld a legacy of always supporting charitable causes and liberal values. Yet now, her tweets attacking a minority group have meant that she continues to upend her legacy. tweet by tweet.
Katie Heyes
Featured image courtesy of FF16 via Pixabay.
Wrong. Rowlings is NOT transphobic at all. She correctly is identifying sex as physical and only how masculine or feminine a person is to be up for grabs. And you do NOT need new pronouns or change bathrooms for that. People who think they need new pronouns or bathrooms don’t understand simple physiology. It is the people who think being called he or she is constraining, that are the ones creating the limitations. Using pronouns based on whether they have a penis or a vagina, is not at all attacking or confining anyone. It is just having a functional brain.
How do you refer to someone without seeing their genitals?
Or do you instead use social cues (including name) to know which pronouns to use?
For example, I know your name is Kirk. It’s safe to assume, then, you’re a man, so I’d use masculine pronouns to refer to you. I do not need to check your junk to see an innie or an outie to THEN be able to use the proper pronouns.
(PS: refusing to use a trans person’s pronouns is very well transphobic. it’s needlessly disrespectful and harmful)
Its funny how you are offended by the term transphobic. You need to own your hate. Saying she is not transphobic and then repeating a transphobic narrative makes no sense. Just spit your venomous words out, dont deny what you are. Which is a transphobe
Rowling is a nasty TERF and it’s time we all ignored her