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Original poster

To think that JK Rowling is being very unfairly treated.

307 replies

Impatiens · 29/01/2021 19:22

For some people the name JK Rowling seems to have become a byword for 'bigot' or 'transphobe' - you only have to mention her name on twitter to cause a storm of accusations and abuse about her and I think it's really unjust.

This week it was announced that a new Harry Potter TV series is in development. Cue howls of outrage from certain people, repeating the same insults and even accusing her of being a bad influence on children. I feel so bad for her. She's always been someone who seemed to want to do good with her wealth and whose books (whether you like them or not) sent a positive message about the need to fight against evil.

A very brief recap of things Rowling has said about the trans debate that have caused anger -

  1. Human biological sex can't be changed (females can't become males/vice versa) and no one should lose their job for saying that.
  1. The word 'Woman' is being erased, particularly from important health messages that only affect females, and replaced with dehumanising terms like 'menstruators', 'cervix-havers' etc
  1. Children/young people who have Gender Dysphoria/Identify as Transgender, shouldn't be given medication as part of any treatment because they're too young to understand the potential side effects.

YABU = JK Rowling's comments were offensive and she deserves the abuse she gets
YANBU = JK Rowling's comments were respectful opinions and she's entitled to voice them without getting abuse.

OP posts:
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HouseOfGuineaPigs · 30/09/2025 22:22

I agree with you @Impatiens , it seems that she had been unfairly scapegoated. And now Stephen Fry who I used to think was intelligent has jumped on the bandwagon. Stop the world, I want to get off.

TheKeatingFive · 30/09/2025 20:39

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 19/04/2021 11:50

From the Insider article:

"Rowling, the globally revered "Harry Potter" author, recently published a novel about a man who dresses up in women's clothing to attract murder victims. "

Statement of fact, right? Unless you read the book, and discover that you have to put it a slightly different way: "A novel in which in a single paragraph a male character is reported by another as having on a single occasion in the past having worn a woman's coat and a headscarf in order to disguise his identity as a male murderer."

Not quite the same as "anti-trans", somehow.

They'll spin literally anything.

TheKeatingFive · 30/09/2025 20:38

BoredDave · 30/09/2025 20:35

You should lose your job because you are ignorant. The sex chromosomes merely TYPICALLY determine gender: females typically have two X chromosomes (XX), while males typically have one X and one Y chromosome (XY). The Y chromosome contains the SRY gene, which triggers the development of male reproductive structures, and its presence TYPICALLY leads to a male designation.

In some cases, variations in sex chromosomes can occur, leading to conditions known as differences of sex development (DSD) or intersex conditions. These can include conditions with extra or fewer sex chromosomes, such as Klinefelter syndrome (XXY), or mosaicism where a person has both XY and XX cells.

Sometimes a person's sex chromosomes may differ from their developing reproductive structures or other sex characteristics

Consider yourself educated.

Show quote history

Eveert single person with a DSD is either one sex or the other. But you know that, right, considering how educated you are.

BoredDave · 30/09/2025 20:35

NichyNoo · 11/04/2021 18:22

It’s ridiculous. I had to try and explain to my elderly relative the other day that we’re supposed to pretend that basic biology in the form of XX and XY no longer exists and that if I question this I could lose my job Hmm

You should lose your job because you are ignorant. The sex chromosomes merely TYPICALLY determine gender: females typically have two X chromosomes (XX), while males typically have one X and one Y chromosome (XY). The Y chromosome contains the SRY gene, which triggers the development of male reproductive structures, and its presence TYPICALLY leads to a male designation.

In some cases, variations in sex chromosomes can occur, leading to conditions known as differences of sex development (DSD) or intersex conditions. These can include conditions with extra or fewer sex chromosomes, such as Klinefelter syndrome (XXY), or mosaicism where a person has both XY and XX cells.

Sometimes a person's sex chromosomes may differ from their developing reproductive structures or other sex characteristics

Consider yourself educated.

Before you continue to Google Search

https://www.google.com/search?client=opera&cs=1&sca_esv=f3826a3017f5c801&q=Female+Chromosomes&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiEpfTenIGQAxVaVkEAHc1WJHkQxccNegQIDhAB&mstk=AUtExfD8LCBL2ipnEOyYLKxZ4SCUU7C-RN0O_ba2aapCbv8HOdDxykNWhKWr3-CfDrwMBEU2tiVbJFKXuCYnENHYI5KeiJ1_jkq-dXDcg3FemmvBK8kM-3iBGhYLQSZrWYt_-wLDplOK1Vpyjr0uixLhu71ZV-Z_G0fNDSv2U2Tb_MB2qR3GpiTfcGVL9wkEnyT_TIQC8wcOiiLdZ6aIvlRdM6onMQ&csui=3

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 19/04/2021 11:50

From the Insider article:

"Rowling, the globally revered "Harry Potter" author, recently published a novel about a man who dresses up in women's clothing to attract murder victims. "

Statement of fact, right? Unless you read the book, and discover that you have to put it a slightly different way: "A novel in which in a single paragraph a male character is reported by another as having on a single occasion in the past having worn a woman's coat and a headscarf in order to disguise his identity as a male murderer."

Not quite the same as "anti-trans", somehow.

Wanderlust20 · 11/04/2021 18:43

I agree with you! I was shocked at some of her comments at first but then I realised they were twisted by the media and used for click bait. Her article on her own defence was very insightful, and outlined the many valid reasons why she felt that way. Was an eye opener for me, the world is not black and white...

ThatOtherPoster · 11/04/2021 18:28

YABU, she has wrote some disgusting things

You'll need quotes to back that up.

and has advertised merchandise such as badges that say 'F your pronouns' and 'Notorious Transphobe'*

See, this just isn't true. She shared a photo of a T-shirt she had bought (with the slogan, "This Witch Doesn't Burn") and gave a link to the website. The website also stocks the more transphobic products you mentioned. But Jo wasn't promoting those.

www.insider.com/jk-rowling-terf-online-store-selling-anti-trans-merch-2020-9

NichyNoo · 11/04/2021 18:22

It’s ridiculous. I had to try and explain to my elderly relative the other day that we’re supposed to pretend that basic biology in the form of XX and XY no longer exists and that if I question this I could lose my job Hmm

Chloemol · 11/04/2021 18:16

I think you will find the majority of the country supports here and not the very vocal minority on Twitter

forsucksfake · 11/04/2021 17:20

YANBU. JK Rowling is being treated horrendously. If she were a man, she would never face the vitriol she has faced.

Wigglegiggle0520 · 30/01/2021 18:36

She’s fantastic. I’m so glad we have her.

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 30/01/2021 17:23

I suppose maybe people who liked the Harry Potter books might not have been so enthusiastic about the Galbraith ones and not gone out of their way to buy them, then decided that they would support her during the witch-hunt by buying those too?

I doubt very much indeed that she expected that to be the outcome of her being the victim of obscene threats and all the rest of it, though.

Blackberrycream · 30/01/2021 17:21

Genius move yes.
I’m sure she was having trouble shifting her books.
Have you seen her worldwide sales figures?

VegetableLove · 30/01/2021 17:03

@DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult

I am laughing at Joanne Rowling being called a twat and making comments to advertise her book.

I didn't like her long before any of this. I don't think she's a twat because of this, I think this was clever. I think the fact that she has people rushing out to buy her book to support her is absolute genius on her part. The fact everyone who did this is 100% defending her just adds to the truth that it was a genius move on her part, and she now has thousands upon thousands of of people, who ordinarily wouldn't buy some of the stuff she writes willing to buy everything she writes to support 'the cause' and feel like they are doing something to help.

So you are accusing her of releasing the book to some trans right activists so that they could complain so she could respond in order to boost sales

That isn't what I said at all, now is it. Let's face it, everyone knows what happens when anyone jumps in on any side of the trans debate. She now has a whole bunch of people buying her stuff when they wouldn't have originally. I've seen many people online saying they will buy her book just to support her. Well played JK.

I'm pissing myself at these thousands of people who wouldn't ordinarily have bought her books supporting her. Brilliant. Because she was such a little known figure before all this! GrinGrin
Noculturehere · 30/01/2021 16:52

YANBU. She makes plain, balanced sense.

SpilltheTea · 30/01/2021 16:50

I'm glad at least one celebrity isn't going along with this bullshit for fear of being called transphobic.

JoodyBlue · 30/01/2021 16:47

@UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme

In Career of Evil - the scene in the Satchi gallery Café is the one with Tempest and her hanger-on (I can't remember his name), where they ask whether he got his leg amputated because he wanted to be an amputee rather than because he was blown up by an IED/ land mine.
Thanks for this @UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme. I will revisit it.
Dozer · 30/01/2021 16:41

Missdotty Which views expressed by JKR do you think were ‘polarising’?

Which of the issues mentioned by JKR or on this thread do you consider ‘non-issues’?

What do you mean by ‘support’ for people who are trans that some women are not in favour of?

Blackberrycream · 30/01/2021 16:40

As Winsalot said.

Blackberrycream · 30/01/2021 16:39

YANBU
I don’t think she was ill advised in speaking up. I do think she was brave though. It’s sad that it has got to this point.
I have noticed people in the public eye being asked about the issue and them giving non committal answers. I don’t blame them at all in the current climate but their unease is noticeable. Also, I would not want to name them and attract attention to them as we have seen the abuse JK has been subjected to.

Original poster
Impatiens · 30/01/2021 16:36

Absolutely right @334bu. We had a discussion about the medicalisation of so-called 'trans kids' last night but it really needs highlighting as much as possible, as does safeguarding women, including those who are trying to escape DV.

OP posts:
Original poster
Impatiens · 30/01/2021 16:32

And now, any time her name is mentioned, even if it's nothing to do with the trans debate, it's used by trans activists as an excuse to stir up more irrational anger. It's a witch hunt and I mean that in the original sense.

OP posts:
334bu · 30/01/2021 16:31

Impatiens you could also have mentioned safeguarding of women from male violence and prevention of unproven medical experimentation on children.

UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme · 30/01/2021 16:30

I've just realised that what I like most about the Strike novels is actually the weather.

The weather is absolutely intrinsic to the books, yet not forced to the forfront.

I've realised because I just tried to start In the Woods by Tana French, as someone said its a bit like the Strike novels, and I couldn't get passed the first two pages because the in-your-face weather description is so very, very irritating! I think its partly because two paragraphs in a row begin with the instruction "picture" xyz. I hate being directly addressed in the imperative when reading for pleasure...

BatleyTownswomensGuild · 30/01/2021 16:20

YANBU - she's been absolutely hounded and it's totally out of order...