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!

@BlooperReel

JK Rowling is not 'anti-trans' and the claim that she is 'using her huge platform of followers to promote ideas which endanger the lives and wellbeing of trans people' is defamatory.

It's also utter bollocks, I'd be very interested in an example of how stating that it's women who menstruate endangers someones life.

From what I've seen, it's the exact opposite.

A woman so wealthy and powerful that she doesn't have to give a single fuck about your feelz and who you can't threaten into submission just drives the MRAs stark raving mad, doesn't it? Good on JKR for using her position to speak up for women, she could say nothing but instead chooses to stick her head above the parapet in a way which is too dangerous for most women.

I think she is an amazing woman. I am so glad we have her.

@PrincessConsuelaVaginaHammock on a similar line the appropriation of the Native American traditions, I saw this morning that the fabulous FondofBeetles (she’s on here sometimes isn’t she?) had retweeted a thread about the trans trope that sex is a white colonial concept. Here: twitter.com/therestofus5/status/1109526326006800384?s=21

she could say nothing but instead chooses to stick her head above the parapet in a way which is too dangerous for most women.

I think this is such an important point.

It would have been so easy for her to just stay silent. Instead she spoke out, knowing that by doing so there would be backlash, insults, threats.

Intersex people are still either male or female

Intersex groups have also asked a number of times for Stonewall/lobby groups to stop appropriating the lives and experiences which are a world away from gender dysphoria.

Transexuals (including some I know from campaigning for the original GRC) have asked lobby groups to stop relabelling those who identify as transexual rather than transgender.

MRAs have aligned behind Stonewall's campaign to replace "sex" with "gender" in the equalities act (although Stonewall seem to have removed that from their website). The discrimination women experience is rooted in biological sex, not internal gender identity. Can't think why MRAs would find it useful to erase sex based protections in law

Herecomestreble1 while you're listing medical conditions that you don't seem to understand, have you ever stopped to consider how hurtful and damaging it is to many people with those conditions when you assert that they are neither male or female?

How do you think a woman with MRKH would feel reading your post? Would you look her in the eye and tell he that she's not female?

These are real people you're using in your arguments. Do their feelings not matter to you?

Her, not he, obviously.

@peachgreen This transparent attempt to get people to unknowingly or knowingly praise someone who has just now openly stated her anti-trans stance is really gross

This - if you're going to do a public gush, at least give the full picture.

It is a form of gaslighting, is it not, to claim that women's oppression is not based on our biological sex? And to claim that just about anyone should be able to identify into the category of woman, and therefore enjoy the protections of the law, the opportunities and safeguards that were originally created to redress the historical imbalance between the sexes, and protect women from male violence?
And apparently merely stating any of this is transphobia, literal violence or a threat to the very existence of a minority of people, who now claim that sex-based violence and oppression either doesn't exist or doesn't matter any more, because the feelings inside their head take precedence over our sex-based rights...

I really admire her.

Especially her willingness to stand up for women’s rights, safety and existence. Most people are too scared to at the moment!

She’s getting a lot of hate in certain circles, but it just makes me admire her for standing up for women and refusing to be silenced by the TRAs.

I’ve never been so let down by anyone in my life. Ten years ago I thought she was wonderful. I still think she has done many wonderful things. But between the transphobia, the antisemitism, the subliminal racism and the attempts to gain credit for retconning into her novels diversity that was never there when she wrote them, she has single handedly dismantled her own legacy in my opinion.

My thoughts exactly. I was a RABID Harry Potter fan and her work inspired me as a child to become a writer. I met her in person as a kid and was so star stuck I wept. But as an adult, looking back at her track record - I'm disgusted.

Do their feelings not matter to you?

No because TRA's don't care about anyone other than themselves.

It is a form of gaslighting, is it not, to claim that women's oppression is not based on our biological sex?

Yup, it's the biggest, most blatant misogynist con-job I've seen in my life time - and being an old gimmer, I've seen quite a few.

I think she's actually a bit of a twat.. As evidenced by most of the stars of Harry potter cutting ties with her.

From what I've seen, it's the exact opposite.

Care to elaborate fully, PennyNotSoWise?

Goblins, gnomes and others were earth-spirits in numerous ancient and medieval mythologies, often guarding mines and precious underground treasures, notably in the Germanic dwarfs and the Greek Chalybes, Telchines or Dactyls. (Wikipedia)

Way, way before the Jewish diaspora.

And #IstandwithJKR

To be honest, while I love the Harry Potter books, I'm not keen on her. But I agree with her on this.

Oh my goodness, I see that the Twatterati are now piling in with their sockpuppets newly-minted Mumsnet memberships.

www.spectator.co.uk/article/jk-rowling-and-the-road-to-terfdom/amp?__twitter_impression=true

"she is an intelligent women who has taken a careful look at the issue and decided for herself that there is nothing progressive or kind or liberal about a movementthatencourages autistic children to be givenuntesteddrugs. That tells adolescents uncomfortable with their bodies that surgery brings happiness and the alternative is suicide. That tells lesbians they’re bigots if they won’t consider sex with women who have penises. That showers women (and really, it is just women) who question these things with violent and sexualised abuse."

Oh my goodness, I see that the Twatterati are now piling in with their sockpuppets newly-minted Mumsnet memberships

People on the internet have a different opinion to me!
Time to don my tin foil hat and rock in the corner 'cos of all the sockpuppets/Twatteratis infiltrating!
or maybe it's just people who shock horror have a different opinion

That's not 'evidence', that's show-boating using any means for attention. If JKR's views of her lived experience as a woman are of no credence to you, why are the views/un-follows of the has-beens of more value? Just because you happen to agree with them?

That's then just a difference of opinion, surely?

I'm staggered at the mental gymnastics that some posters have employed in their accusations of anti-trans/anti-semitism at JKR. It's shameful. She's categorically stated that she's not anti-trans so why the angst? She's claiming her own experiences as a woman because she is a woman... and she's entitled to do that, no matter how many people think otherwise. It's utterly baffling but at the same time, not surprising at all.

Thanks for that link @Campervan69. Yet again, James Kirkup nails it.

I find it telling that as soon as someone disagrees with the 'gender critical' crowd on Mumsnet, they must be an outsider. Says a lot about why some posters feel so comfortable sharing abhorrent things on here...

There may be a majority of MNers who would describe themselves as gender critical. But there are also plenty of people who would describe them as transphobes, and not even particularly well-hidden ones at times.

As for JKR - amid a global pandemic, and the biggest civil rights protests for a generation, why did she feel the need to take shots at one of the most marginalised groups of people in society? (Of course, I already know the answer I'll get - "SHE'S STANDING UP 4 WOMEN!!!!!" - yeah. Women who fit her own version of womanhood, that is).