Revolt at publisher Hachette re Rowling "transphobia"

There are many issues I feel strongly about but I keep them out of my work environment because if I didn't then I wouldn't have a working environment anymore.

I wonder if there were more than 4-5, but others chickened out of actually living their principles at the last minute, like how Boris did in 2016, when he was widely expected (and leaked) to be running to replace Cameron.

Then those 4-5 were left with their trousers round their ankles

(I bet Hachette know who full well who the other rabble rousers are too!)

The comments on the DM article show that no one in the real world thinks she's transphobic. And even the people who hate her are talking about her right to free speech.

According to the DM article:

"Another insider said: "It was a handful of staff and they are entitled to their views. If they were being asked to edit a book on domestic abuse, and they were a survivor of domestic abuse, of course they would never be forced to work on it. But this is a children's fairy tale. It is not 'the end of the world'. They will all be having chats with their managers".

What I am taking from that is their managers will be having 'chats' with them. Without coffee. And pointing out not only the bottom line but the relevant clause in their employment contracts.

It will be a sharp welcome to the real world.

I missed that - Hachette are Titania McGrath's publisher!

They may have followed Titania's comments too literally - :

twitter.com/TitaniaMcGrath/status/1256931521782571010

Lang you could self-id as someone wiv good spellingz no?

It's actually a good reminder of how much JK has put herself on the line.

Couple of things to add…

The Ickabog is being released to make money for NHS charities, isn't it? Did the Interns consider that?

Also, a poster upthread. You mentioned that your DS was sensitive and didn't carry on reading the books… Did you consider that he was presenting in the wrong body and needed hormones and surgery or did you stand back like a normal parent and let him grow and develop in the body he was assigned at birth?

I wish I was their boss. I would say simply "if you cannot work on a book whose author has views you disagree with then I'm afraid publishing is not for you".

So glad to see companies standing up to this authoritarian nonsense.

I was cracking up reading that Mail article. Here is my favourite paragraph:

The group - whose staff have threatened to down tools in protest at Rowling's views on gender - have also published a book simply titled Woke by Titania McGrath.

I'd so hate for them to inherit filthy money from vile transphobes. I'm sure they'll nobly refuse such tainted funds.

They'll have to get a job that's not in publishing, then.

Dear Hachettes,
I am a damn good editor, fond of JKR and currently have some spare time.
Just saying...

Good point about the grannies. Have they checked that their grannies are fully on board with menstruators and lady dick? I'd so hate for them to inherit filthy money from vile transphobes. I'm sure they'll nobly refuse such tainted funds.

If I was their boss, i'd really want to know which part of her post that they disagreed with! She said literally nothing "against" transgender people

Me too. I'd like them to take me through it would by word. There are only four tweets.

I was thinking that, Rufflecrow Rowling is so big now that the publishers need her more than she needs them.

Even if she never makes another penny, she and her family can live very comfortably forever on what she’s amassed.

This is why we need the multi-millionaires to speak up.

This is the genius of her putting herself on the line: she's literally too big to fail. Hachette aren't going to give up the £££££££ they've budgeted on making from the book. And even if Hachette dropped her she'd have other publishers queueing round the block. Failing that she could self-publish and it would barely dent her financially. In fact, she'd probably make more that way, without a publisher taking their sizeable percentage.

"They wanted their bosses to cancel J K Rowling??"

Dear Mother and Father - We demand that you cancel 'Sunday lunch with granny because the whole 'old people' thing triggers us

Dear Reverend Jones - We demand that you cancel easter because the whole 'crucifixion' thing triggers us

Dear Mrs Queen - We demand that you cancel all gun salutes because the whole 'bang' thing triggers us

Dear Mr Pope - We demand that you cancel all incense because the whole 'smelly' thing triggers us

Reverend God - We demand that you cancel death because the whole 'dead' thing triggers us

Sorry, bold fail above, up to FFS in my last post was quoting a pp.

but the headines make it look as if JKR is "Transphobic"

*Do casual readers get the wrong idea idea now?

She is pro women not anti trans FFS!*

Yes, I wish the papers would report that these people were taking a stand against JK Rowling's pro-woman comments.

It would show just how ridiculous things have got.

"Spoken to individually by their managers" does rather imply less "you are SO right on and you will now be promoted for being so amazing" and more "let's have a chat about your level of professionalism", with a bit of "profitability for dummies" thrown in.

Exactly

but the headines make it look as if JKR is "Transphobic"

Do casual readers get the wrong idea idea now?

She is pro women not anti trans FFS!

Oh god I need my toes surgically in curled. They wanted their bosses to cancel J K Rowling?? Oh my sides.

Imagine thinking your workplace should protect you from things you don't agree with. I wish them luck in their onward journey.

'So, why did you leave leading publisher Hachette?'

I must buy this when it comes out.