Revolt at publisher Hachette re Rowling "transphobia"

Does anyone honestly think JKR won’t be able to publish her work. In the very unlikely event that she was dropped she could start her own publishing company. The top 5 most read books this week on Amazon are hers.

Hachette are standing by her, but your mate may have a point, if this continues to escalate in 5 years anyone who asserts biological sex is a thing could be out of a job.

Sorry haven't rtft.

My friend (who is firmly against JKR in all of this) sent me a link to the article crowing that "haha she won't even have a publisher soon. They've threatened to drop her"
Did I completely misunderstand the article because I read it as the complete opposite - Hatchette are standing by her?

The debate is continuing on twitter. I can see a female publishing expert compare JKR to Polanski and Woody Allen, and calling people Terfs.

Its...depressing.

History of Vomit
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Share token for the Times opinion piece:

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/6a82fdda-b007-11ea-839f-3d38a5cc49e9?shareToken=189a084f8a700e828cc0efe720ff489f

Indeed. These young people are less "sweet naive baby" and more "Lord of the Flies". Their action was intended to hurt Rowling because she pissed them off. Don't let them off the hook for the fundamental malice of what they were trying to do just because it didn't work.

Yes. The RAGE that they can't control what people say is immense.

Indeed. These young people are less "sweet naive baby" and more "Lord of the Flies". Their action was intended to hurt Rowling because she pissed them off. Don't let them off the hook for the fundamental malice of what they were trying to do just because it didn't work.

hearts are in the right place

What a generous characterisation. Astoundingly naive.

As I hesitated to send my email of support to Hachette for their decision, I had to consider the possible ramifications (doxxing, physical attacks, bullying, threats to my employers, sending armed police to my home claiming a violent crime in progress) of putting my email address in one of these people whose "hearts are in the right place."

Good opinion piece in today's Times, page 31. Backing Hachette, JKR and freedom of speech.

hearts are in the right place, they’re just all woefully misguided
But the brains certainly aren't. They didn't evolve to be situated in your arse.

@NoSquirrels

Maturity is the ability to accept that different opinions from one's own exist. Others have a right to them without being 'cancelled'. It's also the ability to understand that difference does not equal moral corruption.

The Tarquins and Henriettas at Hachette don't seem to have these abilities.

If they care so passionately about trans rights why don't they do something useful? Why not set up an organisation to support trans authors to get published? Or crowd fund to enable a trans author to self publish? Or donate part of their salary to organisations that support trans people? But they won't because it's much easier to kick up a fuss about something than to actually do something constructive.

The thing is, as I said, they’ll genuinely believe that standing up to express their unhappiness is in fact a political and transformative act. It runs very deep and a lot of these staff probably will be involved in diversity initiatives, donate to these charities, actively support trans writers etc.

They’ve just swallowed the Kool-Aid that any gender critical views, no matter how expressed, are transphobic and damaging to young people.

Children’s publishing is a) deeply concerned with empathy and self-expression for kids and breaking down stereotypes and representing diversity and also b) less full of those interested in exploring critically through non-fiction essays tricky political issues.

It’s too black and white to say they’re all stupid babies - it’s just this row wouldn’t be the same if the staff were in the adult division I am very sure. Children’s publishing is wonderful, full of wonderful people but it is also predominantly young people, even much more so than adult publishing. And its sensibilities make it more prone to this sort of tribalism - hearts are in the right place, they’re just all woefully misguided. (In my opinion, of course).

It almost makes me believe in fairies!

I have many strong opinions but I can't think of anything stupider than believing that only books that echo my own views should be allowed to go to print.
Oh wait, yes I can think of something stupider... Thinking that only books by authors that agree with my views should go to print, even when the book is uncontroversial and nothing to do with the disagreement.

And many kids understand their place in the world better than these spoilt babies.

Yup. I'm looking forward to the film of this too.
Or we could all just watch The Crucible again?

Goody Rawlings is a witch. Says the teenage mean girls.

Maybe they should only let parents work on children's books.

you sound like a wonderful parent.

“Steffi, Jeffi, Kitz, Marx, ZiZi and Arabella-foo-foo demand that you denounce JK Rowling and stop publishing her books right now... or else they will be very cross...”

I would give anything to have been a fly on the wall at that meeting!

Can you just imagine:

“Either I go or you refuse to publish a book by world renowned author and cash cow JK Rowling - which is it?!”

One of the things I find sad is this destructive attitude towards everything. Find something upsetting or offensive? Think something is unjust? "Cancel it". "Censor it". "Tear it down".

If they care so passionately about trans rights why don't they do something useful? Why not set up an organisation to support trans authors to get published? Or crowd fund to enable a trans author to self publish? Or donate part of their salary to organisations that support trans people? But they won't because it's much easier to kick up a fuss about something than to actually do something constructive.

If I was the boss “Don’t want to work on it? Who the f* are you to refuse to do the work I ask you to do? The door is over there...”