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!

[quote zscaler]@allimissnowisthesea

It means that women aren’t defined by a narrow biological function like menstruation. Lots of women don’t menstruate. ‘Woman’ means more than menstruation. It’s not controversial.[/quote]
Of course. But when you're talking about periods the correct words to use are girls/women, not people, as only women menstruate.
In the same way, when we're talking about sperm (for example) it's correct to refer to men rather than people, as only men produce sperm.

Herecomestreble1 there are many gender identities. There are not many sexes. Its not that people don't understand what you say, it's that it is provably untrue. Sex is biology. Gender is identity.

There are many sexes that do not fall into the binary category of man and woman

No there aren't.

"Cervix-havers", "uterus havers", "menstruators".

Funny we're not seeing inclusive language based round "prostate havers", "ejaculators", "testicle havers".

Almost like there was some reason why only one half of the human race was being reduced to its body parts. Almost like there was a huge history of only treating one half of the human race as being reduced to its body parts. Almost as if by doing so, one half of the human race had historically been denied full human rights.

And now there's a movement which wants to remove even the right to the language which might help us articulate this history and lived reality.

Funny that.

Rock on, JKR.

Nope, shes a dinosaur incapable of compassion or actually looking into the things she is against.

Not all women menstruate but all who do menstruate are women regardless of how you identify.

"Could you give examples of these?"

Of course they can't! They're just spreading lies and smears because they don't agree with what someone has said on Twitter! Did you ever see anything so utterly pathetic?

@peachgreen and @OnlyJudyCanJudgeMe

Have you read what she's been saying? Maybe the more recent post was a bit far, but she is also a reasonably intelligent woman who has shown other progressive traits so there is probably more to this than her just being a horrible person. It's really not all black and white.

I have been looking into this a lot lately. I actually know some trans people which is why I have thought about this more deeply. I won't say much about them as it will be an outing but it has honestly changed my view by seeing what's happened to them. I also have medical and mental health background with family and friends and we are discussing it more. There are some real psychological issues with people who go through trans procedures and the results are frequently not good, but any research against this is being quashed. Of course it must work out for some people, but I find it worrying how such a major procedure we can't even properly talk about without being called transphobic? These people are clearly suffering. It's not like being gay where people are different but still themselves. This is someone rejecting their own selves as they don't fit what society has created as 'women' and 'men'.

Also the scary thing is that the science around this is so flawed! The Rainer study which is constantly quoted is the worst example. Everyone forgets that the ittle boy who was made into a girl was horrifically sexually abused by the scientist throughout the years of experiment, whilst the twin brother was not. No one thinks that maybe this contributed to him taking his own life?! This also occurred in a time when women were horribly suppressed in society (something which is still happening, btw) and lots of women had mental health problems as it was. The fact she/he was more energetic and didnt like girl's toys is a horrible sexist comparison. How many woman on here have rejected the stereotype by 3 years old? The fact this person lasted as long as they did is a miracle in itself.

And now you look at teenagers and life seems to be becoming even more divisive and sexist. The message has now changed to the extent that if you are not a horrible stereotype of a woman than you are not acknowledging yourself as a woman. Isn't the issue that we should be crediting even less of what we are to our sex? You could argue that we are actually going backwards in saying a woman means something else and if you dont fit then you need to change your genitals.

Despite ALL of this, I would say ok fine, if that's how society is and there isn't time to change it then let's continue on as that's how messed up we are and if it makes people happy, then let them make those changes. Because being trans must be the most stressful, awful experience.

However, research shows that trans people are frequently still miserable in their own bodies and that a reasonable proportion of society are now seriously regretting their decision.

So maybe her latest post didn't phrase it in the best way, but she had a serious point.

I wish Boris Johnson would condemn the 'thuggery' of the extreme transgenderists

@Herecomestreble1

There are many sexes that do not fall into the binary category of man and woman. I literally cannot understand why so many people struggle to grasp that. This blatent attempt to passive aggressively show your support for JK Rowling and the anti-trans movement is sad and disappointing.

There are two sexes, male and female. Sex refers to reproductive function. Males produce small gametes (sperm), females produce large gametes (eggs). Menstruation is a byproduct of the female reproductive process. There is no third type of gamete, let alone 'many'. If you really don't understand then you need to go back to school or read a biology book or something.

She did not say all women menstruate, she said the only people who menstruate are women. Biological women. The ones with eggs and ovaries and a uterus which sheds its lining. Women.

@feelingverylazytoday

Sure!

Consider what it means to be a writer whose books include a race of goblins who live among us but keep to themselves, who are a bit ostracised but who have access to and control all the gold, who can’t be trusted and who will betray you when it suits them.

Consider what it means to be a writer whose books include an enslaved species who are delighted to be enslaved, and whose only champion is persistently mocked and ridiculed for her beliefs. A book where even the good characters own slaves (or wish they did) and use them for their own ends. A book where characters are only considered bad if they are actually abusive to their slaves, but not if they simply own them.

Consider what it means to be a writer who tries to create a story about how race isn’t important, but where every bit of power and strength that saves the hero is the direct result of his bloodline - the wealth and characteristics inherited from generations of his family. The character who is able to become the master of the Deathly Hallows because of his ancestry.

And then there’s the only Chinese character in the novels, Cho Chang - her name a mishmash of Korean and Chinese surnames, and her character blatantly stereotypical of Asian-Americans.

And while we’re hearing all of these comments holding her up as a champion of women’s rights, let’s not forget that she wholeheartedly backed Johnny Depp’s casting as Grinewald and made announcements expressing her support for him even after it emerged that he had viciously attacked Amber Heard, leaving her face bruised and bloody. What do we all consider a greater threat to women today - trans rights, or domestic violence?

It’s ok to love Harry Potter, and there are some great messages in it. But it is rife with the prejudices of its writer, and it can’t be separated from those. And JKR’s attempts to retrospectively improve the diversity of the novels by claiming after the fact that Hermione could have been black, or that Dumbledore was gay, doesn’t change the fact that not only did she not write those characters as black or gay in the first place, she wrote books which are actually absolutely redolent with prejudice.

There are many sexes that do not fall into the binary category of man and woman

Don’t be so bloody ridiculous.

her anti-trans stance

If you read what she says, no reasonable person could regard her as anti-trans.

@Tanith see above

Fab post Alyssum

Btw how do these "other sexes" reproduce? Stork? Cabbage patch? I think we should be told.

And believe me when I say I wish this wasn’t true. I grew up on Harry Potter. They were my all time favourite books, and I knew them by heart. I loved J K Rowling, I admired her and I believed in her. It is unbelievably difficult for me to come to terms with the things I was oblivious to as a child, and to accept the way things actually are.

If you cry transphobia at a statement asserting women exist, have rights and there is such a thing as same-sex attraction then the only bigot is you.

She's one hell of a woman, so brave and stunning.

I think she’s done a wonderful thing in using her platform to speak on behalf of, what I believe, are the vast majority of women.

Why is it the second someone disagrees with trans ideology the claims of “literal violence”, “endangering trans people”, “most vulnerable group” are spouted?

Biology is facts, not opinion. No human born of the male variety has ever menstruated, conceived or given birth, those are reserved solely for the female of the species and it is not “hate“ to say so.

zscaler is that honestly the best you can do??

I suggest you are anti-semitic if that's the spin you put on it.

There are not many sexes, there are two. Intersex conditions are repeatedly dragged into this as evidence when many many groups representing people with DSD have asked not to be used in such a crude way.

She’s fearless, I love that. She deals in facts and the loony woke left can’t stand it.

“...openly stated her anti-trans stance is really gross”

She defended women. It’s sad that in 2020 after all women have been through men are still dictating the rules.