Open Letter from Autors and Entertainers in Support of JKR

No Shirley Hughes! She's far too old and sensible to fall for this nonsense.

Ok, maybe not so positive, Small pug. I know some of the people on that list and they seem lovely, thoughtful people. I just can't understand why they can't engage with some critical thinking.

I hear you. However, the organisers made it a short time only thing. They said loads of people wanted to add their name but they closed it. I’m guessing it went via contacts - eg, Kiran MH’s agent and editor are both on there. It’s almost a point of pride to them that they got that many in a short space of time, in a relatively small industry. There are a lot of quite surprising names on there. People I thought had far more sense.

I actually take heart from the fact that there are a huge number of authors, agents and editors who aren't on the KMH letter.

Very good to see

Slightly off topic but I never particularly liked Shirley Hughes' Alfie books. The first one was written in 1981 so de rigueur reading for middle class parents in the early 90s.

This Guardian article explaining why the writer loves them actually identifies why I dislike them. I didn't "identify" (if you'll forgive the term) with this depiction of motherhood or family life at all.

www.theguardian.com/books/2005/jun/29/buildingachildrenslibrary.booksforchildrenandteenagers

smalllpug they don't want this out with everyone. There's an awful lot of collusion (sorry for the conspiracyitus)

This whole atmosphere is really strange. It feels like the issue has reached fever pitch within some industries/ groups, and yet the rest of the population don’t have a clue. Which in some ways is good and others worrying, as they will probably get swept along by whoever is shouting the loudest.

I think it was Shirley Hughes' daughter 're Rachel Rooney.

Shirley Hughes?! Shirley Hughes? God. How depressing! Mind you, did I hear she was involved with the Rachel Rooney bullying? Now I can’t read Alfie to my kids without thinking about this. I feel like this issue has become all consuming and I want to switch off sometimes but I just cant.

On the "other list" the only authors I like are Winterston, Patrick Ness and Leigh Bardugo- (and Bardugo is very, very variable in quality)

I see the dreadful Sally Rooney is on it (I hated Normal People). There are a few others I wouldn't read if you paid me.

I'm a bit surprised that Shirley Hughes signed it.

I do get the feeling looking at the lists of names that the men are actually more sensible that this than the women.

[quote Childrenofthestones]Not one fecking stand up.
Quite lucrative those Uni gigs aren't they.
Not surprised though as the industry is uber left wing where you can lose your career for telling one (quite funny) Brexit joke.

I wonder about approval from men - lots of men think it's completely cracked.

I was thinking it's more about getting approval from the right men, but then I thought - no - I think it's about not being on the same side as the wrong kind of men. Men who maybe voted for Brexit, or whatever.

I agree, it's definitely about more than just being kind. Some women are incredibly angry and hostile towards other women. I guess it ticks a lot of boxes. Right side of history - tick. Not one of those awful unsexy feminists - tick. Men approve of me - tick. Don't have to risk getting cancelled - tick. Might make me really popular and all I have to do is sit on my phone sending shitty messages to women - tick. Addicted to outrage on social media - tick. Sheer stupidity and inability to do the most basic critical thinking - also tick.

Amanda Craig wished both Elizabeth Day and Kiran Millwood Hargrave well on the publication of their new books. Talk about gracious and dignified. It's so depressing though. Tons of men signed that letter and it's only a woman who loses a position.

It was the witch hunters/burners who were on the wrong side of history. Trans-washing misogyny isn’t working anymore, we can still see it.

Charlotte Mendelson has tweeted in support of the other letter. I'm so disappointed. And also spotting names of others I respect supporting Mslexia. I suppose I'm just grateful to know their position. And ultimately, the names supporting JK are such huge names, that counts for far more. I swear some peoples' brains have fallen out their ears.

I'm not sure why either but it doesn't seem to be just about being kind. It does seem to be at least in part about having a strong sense of themselves as being on the right side of history and progressive and non-bigoted. Which may be similar in some ways, but I don't think it is quite the same.

I agree. It's broken out like a rash amongst my 40 something writer friends and I really believe that the Karen trope has a lot to do with it. We wouldn't want to be one of those older women, would we? With bad haircuts and unfashionable opinions? God no. We're still cool and relevant and totally down with the kids.

I think that is ironic as the one thing history gives you is that however right you are once you start enforcing this with violence you start to become very wrong.

I was pleased to see Tom Holland on the list too. The Christmas gifts for the history lovers in the family are sorted.

This has seriously made me question whether some of the people who worry about having the ‘right’ opinions actually believe in any of it of if it is just about them.

Same Anxious. So many writers / editors love a story about discrimination of women in a different time or place, but can't see it right in front of their noses. Losing respect for so many people.