To think JK Rowling is a fabulous human being

[TheAdventuresoftheWishingChair]

I just came across her book, 'Very Good Lives' which is all about overcoming adversity. I think it's so important that successful women talk about the times they've failed and how success is about pushing past that. I'm reading it just at a time I need to hear that message. I can definitely recommend buying a copy if you are in need of a boost or have some pennies to spend on something nourishing.

I was also looking into her charity, Lumos, and I had no idea just how much she was trying to help disadvantaged children. I love that she's putting her money and position to good use.

The term 'national treasure' generally makes me want to poke my own eyeballs out with a rusty kitchen utensil but AIBU to say she is an utter treasure and we are lucky to have her. She makes the world a better place.

That's all!

Completely agree JK is brilliant. So few high profile people are willing to stand up for women and girls against this particular strand of trans rights activism because they know what will happen. She's taken so much abuse before for standing up for Maya Forstater and still she refuses to be cowed by the bullies. Wonderful!

I don't even like her books but I love the way she stands up for women and girls.

Interesting research here into the way around 6,500 genes are expressed differently in women and men.

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170504104342.htm

Well we’ve already had a hamfisted attempt to use intersex as a Gotcha!, so I’d say we won’t be waiting long

I'm just surprised nobody's shared that post from a few years ago from the so-called science teacher about mould and clownfish...

That was another case of someone just sticking a bunch of fancy words and phrases together without putting them into Google first...

Zscaler, does every piece of children's literature have to have this conspicuous moral dialogue with its reader then as that is the implication of your argument i.e the author's only interest should be with the moral landscape they are creating and the messages they are delivering? Harry Potter like a lot of British Children's literature is fantasy and is not based in moral realism. The books are more about the characters who are exciting not preachy.

Another fan here. In an age where everyone's all about their "truth" and their "lived experiences" what I got from her tweets was that she wants to be able to say my life has been shaped by my sex, which is female, and there should be no shame in that. In being female, being women.

When you try to be inclusive and say menstruators you are offending women. I'm not sure what the solution is, but I am not a menstruator. I am not a uterus haver, a birthing person. If anyone uses those words about me I am deeply offended. But hey, it's only the female sex who feel hurt, who feel erased, and who gives a shit about them amirite?

TRAs go on and on about feminists being "obesessed" about genitals and biological functions, then in the same breath reduce women to their biological functions.

They can't reduce JKR. They can't cancel her, they can't erase her, threaten her, they can't take away her power. They tried, desperately, stooping so low as to call her a danger to children. And in one case putting her in the same tweet as a horrific abuser. That's how far some people go to try and bring down a powerful woman.

She is a strong woman, and they hate that. I think she's great.

Very much agree. She is amazing. Stands up for women and children. Kind, empathetic and fearless. Fabulous role model for children.

if you identify as a woman and do not menstruate

Only women menstruate. Not all women menstruate.

They may be too young.

They may be too old.

They may be pregnant.

They may have a medical condition that prevents menstruation.

They may have had a surgical procedure removing their ovaries/uterus.

They may have an illness such as anorexia which has halted menstruation

They may have chosen to take hormonal treatment , either for birth control or other reasons , which has stopped menstruation.

These are all reasons why women do not menstruate. There are others too.

Not menstruating because you identify as a woman but do not have XX chromosomes and are physically unable to menstruate because you do not possess the necessary biological parts of your body to menstruate does not mean that you are a non menstruating woman, it means you are not physically or chromosomally a woman. If you choose to identify as a woman then that is your choice, but claiming that not menstruating is somehow a valid confirmation of your choice is frankly bizarre.

If 'identity' is so important and literally saves lives, why are the TRAs trying to take it away from women? Are they womanphobic or what? Are they denying my existence? Please explain.

I don't fucking 'idolise' JK Rowling. I've never read any of her books

Yes I can't see much in the way of people idolising her. I love HP in that it got a generation of children loving reading but I've never thought she's the best writer in the world - I am too old to have read it at the right time I think. I don't feel moved to read her Robert Galbraith books either. But that's ok. Idolising people isn't sensible. Everyone has flaws and strengths. She just has many many strengths.

I love that JKR isn't a hypocrite - she pays tons more in taxes than she'd need to if she employed a creative accountant, and tells other rich people that they should do the same. She literally puts her money where her mouth is.

It's fantastic that she uses her platform to highlight abuses of power, children's suffering, and the outrageous misogyny of some of the more bonkers TRAs.

I couldn't really get into HP because it's written for children. But I did enjoy Robert Galbraith. Give it a go, it's very different to HP.

"I have put the can in there because some women choose not to menstruate."

May we also have "used to menstruate"? We oldies are still female.

I think she’s fabulous. We’re not fans of HP in this house, and I’ve not read her other books (planning to start though - I think she’d appreciate an upward nudge to her bank account 😄), but my goodness I’m impressed by her actions. Thoughtful and measured, and undertaken in the full knowledge that she will be on the receiving end of a vicious backlash.

She's amazing and I hope she never stops defending women.

Not all women menstruate but all those who menstruate are women.

JK your courage is so impressive in a world of twittering apologists. Keep going!

What is a woman? If anyone can identify as a woman or a man, how come women don't identify out of their oppression? If I stop wearing dresses and make up or acting in a 'feminine' or 'ladylike' manner, am I no longer a woman? How come those who traffic women for prostitution, enslave them for sex, or cut off their clitorises and labia, can always identify who the women are? Do they do so by asking them how they feel? How come one sex has been oppressed and dominated through the centuries and across the globe, if sex is actually meaningless and can be identified out of?
Do people really live in such a bubble that stating simple facts is now a form of hatred?

@zscaler my feminism defends any victim of dv whether man or woman but as you are happy for women not to be recognised as such I can see you may have trouble with this.

All the so-called celebrities on twitter losing their minds over this. The aggressive and vicious language they use towards JK. Sarah Paulson? I’m surprised to see her retweet and support comments such as “shut the f up you transphobic bi”. How is that a way to speak to or about someone?

God, if I were JK I’d leave Twitter. These people are so caught up in their own echo chamber of wokeness they won’t allow anyone to express an opinion they disagree with. It’s hateful and intolerant.

Also striking that despite the existence of all these different sexes, it has proved so easy to identify exactly which sex shouldn't be allowed to vote, drive cars, have a separate legal identity or access an education.

Indeed.

Oh and apparently transmisogyny has entered the lexicon. 🙄

I actually want to join Twitter just to offer her some support. She’s being bullied for speaking out in defense of women. The same people fighting for Black Lives Matter see no problem in telling this women to pipe down about women’s rights.

@DickKerrLadies

Also striking that despite the existence of all these different sexes, it has proved so easy to identify exactly which sex shouldn't be allowed to vote, drive cars, have a separate legal identity or access an education.

Indeed.

+1

"She's brilliant!

And she publicly stands up for the rights of women and girls against an aggressive trans lobby, while at the same time respecting the rights of trans people to live as they wish.

She repeatedly states the importance of biology (as opposed to "feels") and the necessity of retaining safe spaces for females, where intact, self-declared "women" cannot intrude- and these spaces must include, toilets, changing rooms, women's shelters, women's prisons.

She's been a shining light against male invasion of women's spaces, whilst never once behaving in a transphobic manner (despite what many of the violent self-IDers have claimed). SHehas bee subject to so much abuse and many threats of violence, and never, as far as I am aware, lost her temper (though she did threaten one with legal action when he tweeted that she was a danger to children - that tweet came down sharpish!)

I'm not a Harry Potter fan - just not my thing- but I am very impressed with her as a human being."

I agree with this comment from @SchadenfreudePersonified completely.

What is a woman? If anyone can identify as a woman or a man, how come women don't identify out of their oppression?

^This. If someone can give an example of something that makes you a woman that isn't a) biology or b) a sexist stereotype, I'd be fascinated to hear it.

Great thread. Going back to non-women , I've seen non-trans women used recently too.

As for the idea that JKR makes Harry succeed because of his bloodline, what a load of tosh! Hermione is the cleverest witch of her generation and a Muggle. Voldemort and the Death Eaters believe in racial purity and they fail, in large part because of their beliefs. Harry is the son of a Muggle. Etc etc.