Sun headline and responses to it

Fairfax your points are well taken. Interesting to get a professional opinion.

One thing mentioned earlier jumped out at me. It said the Sun staff had received Stonewall training. I wonder how that went down with the unfortunate journalists? Gratefully received or like a bucket of sick? Just musing. This story (though distasteful) has got JKR a lot of support.

Last time JK spoke out, David Walliams posted a pic of himself with JK in support, but given he is in the headlines himself at the moment, I wonder if he is trying to avoid further publicity?

His latest children’s book is literally on the production line at the moment, I’m sure his PR team will be telling him to keep his trap shut, at least until the first few weeks of sales have passed.

It's shown up all the people abusing JKR. Some of the dicks even refuse to believe she was a victim of domestic abuse.

I'm more offended OJ being offended at what The Sun has done than what The Sun actually did.

OJ was happy to let vile and abusive comments about her pass without comment but weighs in against an article which is clearly on her side.

Does The Sun have below the line comments? I couldn't see any but The Mail's btl were overwhelmingly supportive of JKR.

I wonder if that's been added Olive as I don't remember seeing it and I have seen other people question it

It says at the end of the article online that he was not paid

I work within the media and I am writing with that hat on here.

Like it or not, JKR's ex had a right of reply to what was said against him - that's just very basic and proper journalism.
Instead of lionising him, The Sun used condemnatory language in the article.
i do not see this as glorifying him, but rather giving him a shovel and letting him dig his own hole.
Not only has he confirmed what JK said, he has also helped lend more weight to the rest of the essay. (Ie the reader thinks "we'll if that bit was true the rest of it must also be")
It's also brought the whole issue of the threat to women's rights to a far wider audience than would previously possibly have been aware of it - the average Sun reader probably has no idea this is going on.

That said i think marking it as exclusive is a little tone deaf
As a feminist, yes i don't think she should have had to mention this at all to justify her resistance to the TRAs but once it was in the open it was inevitable that her ex would have to be given a say.
Whether he was paid or not i cannot say - i don't work for the Sun. One would hope he wasn't.

@OliveKitteridgeAgain I agree. I know plenty of working class male Sun readers who will have different views from me on feminism but will speak just as vociferously against domestic abuse.

I think the headline is gross but, as you say, the article is fine. They could have written a horrible, gossipy story about a "turbulent relationship" but they didn't. They painted a graphic picture of a violent male abuser who shows no remorse for his actions - thus furthering exactly the point JKR is making.

The Sun is, I presume, just giving the abuser enough rope.

His comments reminded me of the worlds of a real life murderer who, on being discovered having stabbed his lover to death, claimed that it was "Just a few little pricks"

depicted in a famous Frida Kahlo painting of the same name

Did you read the article? There's nothing "between the lines". It's an out and out portrayal of JKR being a victim of abuse, and an all round fantastic person for using her experience and wealth to help others in a similar position. It cites 3rd parties who were worried about the ex and his behaviour towards JKR. It has the head of an anti stalking charity praising her bravery. He is portrayed as a a drug addict control freak who annoys his neighbours.

I'm sorry, but, just because most of us here wouldn't touch the Sun with a shitty stick, it doesn't mean that people who do are completely thick, and you really would have to be truly stupid to see any ambiguity in the story. However, males of any class, race or creed, who read any newspaper, who are inclined to think women deserve or invite violence, will not be convinced by any account of violence against women as being anything other than "she must have done something to deserve it". It's those people you need to worry about, not your working class stereotype.

Last time JK spoke out, David Walliams posted a pic of himself with JK in support, but given he is in the headlines himself at the moment, I wonder if he is trying to avoid further publicity?

She wasnt going without her child, how many threads on this very site have we all read where women are terrified to leave in case they lose their children.

Its lived reality of women.

From twitter I get the impression that Nick Cohen and JKR are friends.

Oh.

Oh!

I wonder...

Would explain a few things.

The Sun published an excellent piece about the demolition of women's sports by transwomen.

It also ran a superb piece on the rising number of girls visiting 'gender clinics' www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/7362652/changing-gender-new-anorexia/

But this is just the lowest of the low.

Good on Robert Webb. He's been targeted by TRAs in the past and bullied into retracting his posts. I hope others do the decent thing and stand up for women, but maybe I'm expecting too much?

For me there is a huge problem with the argument that the Sun is trying to nail its colours to the mast and support JKR by painting her ex as gleefully abusive. That problem is that the majority of people who read the Sun will not see the between the lines stuff and will think the Sun agrees with the ex.

I think the headline is totally damning of JKR's ex and even the average Sun reader will get that. Not sure they will then go on to joint up the dots wrt the further threats and violence she has received from hundreds of other men, yes men, in recent days but even some of my most well educated friends are needing to have this spoon-fed to them.

The Sun published an excellent piece about the demolition of women's sports by transwomen.

I understand the general condemnation of this paper (particularly in the light of Hillsborough) but sometimes papers we don't align with do get things right - remembering the Daily Mail's front page about the murderers of Stephen Lawrence.

Level Arse Unlocked. Slow handclap

This whole JK episode has my emotions lurching from one end of the spectrum to the other, but thank fuck for Mumsnet FWR, where something always makes me genuinely laugh out loud.

I hope JK is getting the same sense of solidarity too.

I love Hadders! (And Laura - if you're reading this - you're an idiot!)

From twitter I get the impression that Nick Cohen and JKR are friends.

He has clearly been avoiding the issue, but I think that will end if people seriously try to attack JKR.

twitter.com/HadleyFreeman/status/1271374033402171393

In the replies, Laura Snapes, a Guardian journalist insists that all women face the same violence.

From newspaper reports JKR's ex husband admitted:

“She refused to go without Jessica and, despite my saying she could come back for her in the morning, there was a violent struggle.
“I had to drag her out of the house at five in the morning, and I admit I slapped her very hard in the street.”

And that is his side of the story - the story that he thinks justifies the slapping. Note "I had to drag her out of the house". Remember that Jessica was a baby.

I am sure that transwomen face abuse. I just don't think it is the same, and it don't think it is helpful to transwomen to pretend that it is.

Wow Nick Cohen actually grew a backbone on the subject for once.

Nick Cohen @nickcohen4
If the headline had said "I'm not sorry for slapping a terf" they would have applauded.

Nick Cohen in Robert Webb's replies too. Also not happy with the abuse JK has received it seems.

You've gotta wonder how many people were full TWAW who are now getting cold feet about the aggression shown to a woman who wrote a thoughtful, well-researched piece.

Of course they do Ender. Because they are.

Talk about 'duper's delight'...