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!

So maybe you should ask nicely and they might answer you? Do let me know if it works, won't you?
Sorry, but what are you even on about?
You're STILL missing what I said.
You're the one that asked, but did it so sneerily there's no bloody wonder that people don't take you seriously as it's obvious that you don't really want anyone to answer or question.
I'd like to know just as much as you but when met with snotty I'm not really listening but I'll pretend I am attitudes like yours is there any wonder people don't answer?

Actually, I'm not the only one who asked. And I doubt the lack of answers are down to my "snottiness". But whatever...

You're beginning to annoy me now.

Hmm, is it the snotty attitude that stops a question like that being answered, or the fact that there is no sensible answer to it?
I wonder.

JK Rowling is magic. Loved the HP books and her voice of reason on twitter is bloody marvellous. She makes very supportive statements of both trans people and women, and still the z listers pout.

I'm beginning to wonder if there are ANY occasions when a woman like me, can use the word "woman" to describe myself and not include men or transwomen in that category without being labelled "phobic". Because if that is indeed what is happening, then women have lost the ability to name our sex class. We have "men" and "people". That's fucking creepy.

I really feel for people who are so weak willed that they can't comprehend someone whose work they like has different views to them

I'm beginning to wonder if there are ANY occasions when a woman like me, can use the word "woman" to describe myself and not include men or transwomen in that category without being labelled "phobic". Because if that is indeed what is happening, then women have lost the ability to name our sex class. We have "men" and "people". That's fucking creepy.

Not with the way things are going.

Actually, I'm not the only one who asked. And I doubt the lack of answers are down to my "snottiness". But whatever...

I asked too.
As you disagree with me though on other points, can see why you can't see I'm asking the exact same thing you are.
Coming across as asking but not really asking as you're just wanting a chance to laugh, yeah score people will engage views there! (Not)

You're beginning to annoy me now

We are very lucky to have JKR standing up for women's rights - I bet a lot of other celebs agree with her but JKR is in the unique position in that she can say whatever she likes because:

• she's so ruddy loaded that a few overly sensitive little nitwits stamping their feet and shouting "Zir isn't buying your book anymore" will be of so little consequence to her
• book retailers will never boycott her she makes them too much money - I reckon she could publicly kick a cat to death shouting "death to all animals" and they'd still sell her books.
• the HP franchise is too ground breaking and successful, and has a continuous income stream from novels and theme parks etc, that if she sat in her pyjamas eating Pringles until the end of her days she'd still be a millionaire at the end of it

She isn't an actor or pop star who, with one wrong foot or opinion, could single handedly end her career. 99% of celebs are disposable and have to be very careful what they say. She's the exception.

The only other celeb I can think of who speaks like she does and says what they like is Ricky Gervais. Although he won't be as wealthy or indisposable as her, he has the Get Out of Jail Free card of being a man. people don't attack men as much about their opinions.

It's sad that someone has to be the exception before they can stick up for women's rights. I hope she inspires more people to come forward and speak the truth.

Go away, Lemonade. This is as tedious as fuck.

Go away, Lemonade. This is as tedious as fuck.

What? I'm AGREEING with you!! I'd like to know too. Keep flinging out the insults though as you can't comprehend I'd actually want to know too. Whatever [confused

Thank you for the book recommendation! I adore JKR and am so relieved that finally women have a spokesperson that can’t have their livelihood destroyed by believing in biology. With so many women unable to speak up for fear of losing their livelihoods, I am so grateful to her.
Women’s rights are about to be obliterated and so many women are unable to see it. I hope they can look critically at exactly what has been said, and by whom, and realise where the danger really lies.
And by danger I mean the destruction of women’s rights. So no need to froth about not all transwomen are rapists blah blah. I know not all men are rapists.
Biology is real. Sex matters. Gender is outdated and should be abolished.

An amusing thing about all of this was Owen Jones flouncing and blocking the word “Hogwarts” on his Twitter

😂 I wondered when Little Owen Jones would stick his oar in. Any opportunity to slam a woman, he’s on his skateboard and scoots right over.

In all seriousness, it is very relevant to the discussion that teenagers are in some cases driving this.

Gender ideology is actively being taught in schools. Fortunately women like Safe Schools Alliance and Transgendertrend are pushing back.

But it's little wonder that kids who are asked to identify their gender identity based on massively regressive and blatantly sexist stereotypes are spouting nonsense about sex being on a spectrum. And showing up at gender clinics in their droves, confused as fuck.

Because if a kid picks something outside their rigidly enforced gender boxes, they might be trans and have the wrong body.

@Herecomestreble1

Some examples of sexes that don't conform to normative categorisation:

• Individuals attributed with MRHK syndrome
• individuals attributed with PMDS syndrome
• individuals who are intersex.

I understand that amongst this group, my beliefs in trans rights will still sadly be largely argued with. I just wanted to enlighten you to that fact that biologically there are nuances, and that if you identify as a woman but do not menustrate, that doesn't in my eyes and the eyes of many other individuals mean you are not a woman.

This might be of interest to you Lemonade, as it appears to answer the question (I missed it earlier). Herecomestreble1 has clarified the "there are many sexes" declaration with the above.

MRHK syndrome affects women, it does not make them a different sex.
PMDS syndrome affects males, it does not make them a different sex,
Intersex... is not a third sex.

How is that in relation to anything I've said?

@PaulineScrambledPhones

She’s currently being slated online for taking issue with the phrase “people who menstruate” and the erasure of women which is related to such phrases. I’m glad she’s sticking her head above the parapet and shouting out for women. I love her.

I really don't see why that is offensive. I don';t liek that phrase either. It is almost as bad as "menstruators." or "pregnant people." I even hate "chest cancer" and I;m well aware men do get breast cancer. If the phrase chest cancer had been coined because men get mammary tumours too, I'd not mind so much, but it seems like a virtue signalling "look how pro trans we are" kind of phrase.

I am not transphobic but those kinds of anti-women phrases make me cringe.

What? . You've berated me because my snottiness precluded an answer, I've pointed out that the poster in question has in fact clarified their statement.
It's predictably complete tosh, though

Biology is real. Sex matters. Gender is outdated and should be abolished.

This.

Biology is real

I've never said differently.

What? confused. You've berated me because my snottiness precluded an answer, I've pointed out that the poster in question has in fact clarified their statement.
You've just completely copied and pasted yourself there instead of answering
I am AGREEING with you, I want the same answers you do but you won't see it and continue to bang on about a perceived aggrievement and snottiness

@LemonadeAndDaisyChains

Biology is real

I've never said differently.

What? confused. You've berated me because my snottiness precluded an answer, I've pointed out that the poster in question has in fact clarified their statement.
You've just completely copied and pasted yourself there instead of answering
I am AGREEING with you, I want the same answers you do but you won't see it and continue to bang on about a perceived aggrievement and snottiness

I literally don't understand "copied and pasted myself instead of answering". No idea what you're talking about. Don't much care, tbh...

Are you confusing janeskettle for Thisismytimetoshine there, Lemonade?

Yes. Yes. There are very rare cases where this has happened.

Should every single transwoman be tarred with this brush?

I know you probably think this sounds lovely and kind, but what about those women who have the misfortune of crossing paths with someone like Karen White in a space that's meant to be for women? How many women and girls sacrificed in order to protect transwomen's feelings is too many?

RE the "what about the butch women?" attempt at a gotcha, do people saying that realize how blatantly homophobic they sound? I shouldn't have to say this, but of course butch women are women and should have access to women's spaces.

Treating butch women as if their womanhood is somehow in question is part of what's driving so many of the younger ones towards transition and it needs to stop. Butch women are my sisters and seeing people try to use them against other women (at significant cost to them) makes me very angry.

many many women under the age of 25 arguing that a persons sex isn’t an issue and that women aren’t oppressed because of their biology

If you are under 25 you might genuinely believe that you aren't oppressed by biology.

Even when I was 25, which is a couple of decades ago, my female peers were earning more than my male peers. I genuinely thought that sexism was just something old fashioned that would have died out in a few years when we had all reached the top of our career trees. Of course then we had children...

I think at 25 I thought that pregnancy was a niche hobby. Most of the people in my office were under 40, and I had worked there for 5 years before anybody had a baby. Statistically more than 80% of my peers have now had children, but it didn't seem that way until I was well into my 30s (which of course makes sense, statistically!)

This is why it's so important to talk about sex and women. Individually, most people aren't having periods, pregnant or going through menopause, but these things only happen to women, and it's the combined impact that has lead to women being marginalised.

I find it infuriating when people claim that women who have gone through menopause are no longer impacted by periods. It's not as though somebody who has had to suffer alone with painful periods (It's just normal for women!) gets the time back.

It's really important that we have a neutral word that describes somebody of the female sex. People who insist that they can't be called a 'woman because woman refers to something more than sex should really start to ask think about the impact of their beliefs on others.