Open Letter from Autors and Entertainers in Support of JKR

What. A. Cockwomble.

Good luck if you decide to go for it Malahaha

The latest is this (being Tweeted and on FB):

If you are a professional creative and want to add your signature to the JK Rowling letter, please send your name and how you wish to be described - e.g. "Jean Doe (artist)" - to the following email address:
[email protected]
For the moment, the letter is still from writers, artists, actors etc. but it's possible (due to demand) that the brief will soon widen to everyone else - so watch this space.

Itsinthetreesitscoming I didn't know that. Policing people's Twitter following, how pathetic.

Childrens and YA lit is in a total state these days.

All I can think about is Victorian Improving Tales for Children.

I can understand people in some positions not wanting to step into politics publicly. I see speech and freedom of conscience issues as transcending that however, especially for writers.

Thecatinmylap, agree that I wish there were more children's authors on the list, but in some ways I am not surprised. There are a lot of very woke people in that business, and it's hard to speak out when you're a lone voice. I follow some children's authors on Twitter, and there was a lot of nonsense about seeing if people you follow still followed JKR, and apparently if you did, that was hugely 'disappointing.'

Huge thanks to everyone who has signed.

Joanne Harris is one of the biggest disappointments to me. Truly loved her books, and oldest DC does too. Couldn't stomach ever buying another one now I know what an Aunt Lydia she is.

not having a political opinion IS having a political opinion. Silence is acquiescence.

I also wonder about Jacqueline Wilson she has spoken up about this years ago but been quiet since. Her latest book is about a girl coming out as lesbian and her first love which can be seen as her way of supporting girls.

I think that Joanne Harris is the chair of the society of authors and she is a massive TRA so would block any moves to support JKR.

Apparently there has been a deluge of other authors now wanting to sign the letter, and there is going to be an update at one point. I've decided to sign (gulp).
Also apparently one of the the board members of the Society of Authors raised the subject of supporting JKR, and the rest were too cowardly to join her. There's an author discussion where someone said "I think we should be raising this, as fellow authors. If we do not defend each other, who will?" But some said, no, we shouldn't have political opinions, it's too divisive, yadayadayada.
Now I'm becoming aware of who among my author friends is NOT agreeing that JKR should not have to put up with that, and swiftly losing respect! Not necessarily big names, but names all the same who are obviously holding back, not even liking posts supportive of her. I've got a little list...
I do excuse anyone who has a trans child (I know a couple) being defensive, and my heart breaks for anyone in this situation. But for the others, there comes a time.
Now that sunlight is coming in, we are crawling out of the shadows, a little ashamed but heads high.
Jane Harris the author is on that list. She has been a lone fighter for a long time on FB and also on Twitter, speaking out again and again, right from the start. Perhaps not a big name, but a real shero in this fight.

Twitter threads about this letter are comedy gold today

Fab to see the signatories and lots more are coming out in support today.

You may not get people to read her essay on her website, or have read her tweets, but there will be hundreds of thousands of people reading her book.

I have had people say to me, what's all this going on with JKR? What's she said? And although I've told them, if you don't read it for yourself, I'm sure some people could still think there can't be this much smoke without at least some fire, surely?

And then they read the book which should be burnt for hate speech...

NecessaryScene1

Love those quotes, thanks for posting. I'm always glad when someone neatly summarises something I've been feeling but couldn't quite find the right words for.

Maybe it's more of the "Go woke, got Broke!"
Authors can not possibly accept being told what they can write about, in fiction and they know it.

I feel like crying reading this. The tide really is turning and it was JKR that set it in motion, and lots of brave people, including lots of women on here. I share all the articles i see on here to facebook and even though i rarely comment i have been accused of transphobia and insulted by total strangers who claim that transwomen are being murdered every day, and how Jkr advocates harm to trans people. My own dd age 17 won't discuss anything about gender as she is so bloody woke and thinks i am transphobic, i find it so hurtful. Just so sick of it all and glad i can come here and see rational and factual discussion.

The TRAs clearly pushed their luck too far with the whole JKR transphobe thing. Everyone not emotionally invested in their ideology could clearly see the book was not transphobic.

Nothing to do with the letter but Judy Finnigan (of Richard and Judy) wrote a column yesterday saying that Troubled Blood was not transphobic

Great line: "I wish these people would read the books they want to boycott."

www.express.co.uk/comment/columnists/richard-and-judy/1340351/jk-rowling-strike-series-transgender-lobby-group-outrage

It's disappointing that there aren't many (if any?) children's authors on that list. So many of them have shat on JKR from a great height throughout this, and some of them have clearly enjoyed doing so.

Pullman's done this before then backtracked so not holding my breath or upgrading him in my estimation just yet...

I wonder if he read what JKR had written and thought "Is that it?!" and had s bit of a lightbulb moment. (I can hope, can't I?)

I would bloody love to see some acknowledgment from the Potterverse lot who made their fortunes off her and then roundly stabbed her in the front.

Philip Pullman has just said he'd have signed the letter if asked.

So heartening to see this. There's names in there I'm a big fan of.

I've been spending the last few months in dread of one of the "celebrities" who I admire and whose work I enjoy coming out against JKR.