Revolt at publisher Hachette re Rowling "transphobia"

[Lamahaha]

Young staff members threatened a strike apparently:

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8424029/JK-Rowling-publishers-revolt-Workers-publishing-house-Hachette-threaten-tools.html

My heart sank when I read that headline and the opening paragraphs, since I have professional "connections" to Hachette:

Publishing staff working on JK Rowling’s latest book threatened to down tools yesterday in protest at her views on gender.
...
Yesterday morning at publishing house Hachette, several of those involved in Miss Rowling’s new children’s book, The Ickabog, are said to have staged their own rebellion during a heated meeting. One source said: ‘Staff in the children’s department at Hachette announced they were no longer prepared to work on the book.

‘They said they were opposed to her comments and wanted to show support for the trans lobby. These staff are all very “woke”, mainly in their twenties and early thirties, and apparently it is an issue they feel very strongly about.’

But fortunately the grown-ups held up to the toys-out-of-the-pram tantrum:

Last night Hachette issued a statement backing Miss Rowling’s right to express herself. It said: ‘We are proud to publish JK Rowling’s children’s fairy tale The Ickabog. Freedom of speech is the cornerstone of publishing. We fundamentally believe that everyone has the right to express their own thoughts and beliefs. That’s why we never comment on our authors’ personal views and we respect our employees’ right to hold a different view.

‘We will never make our employees work on a book whose content they find upsetting for personal reasons, but we draw a distinction between that and refusing to work on a book because they disagree with an author’s views outside their writing, which runs contrary to our belief in free speech.’

I can't say how pleased and proud I am. Well done Hachette.

Four and three quarter employees...

The people on my social media who were the most outspoken against JKR and sharing quotes from TRAs tellingly work in publishing. It's a very white middle class industry, lots of women but not in the top jobs. Entry has until recently often been via unpaid or very low paid internships so yes unless you have parents/family to bankroll your career choice it's not open to you.

I am so impressed at that fair and balanced statement and the refusal to no platform her. I don't doubt that it's because she is a best selling author but it sets a precedent that is heartening to see. I really hope other companies and people take note.

I would email them but in all likelihood the staff answering their emails are probably young, woke and prone to doxxing women they disagree with.

Delighted to see these spoilt brats experiencing the real world. They should all fucking resign- I’m sure JKR makes huge money for the publisher and I’m sure they wouldn’t want to be paid with tainted money

@RuffleCrow

I would email them but in all likelihood the staff answering their emails are probably young, woke and prone to doxxing women they disagree with.

I imagine that's what part of the 'wee chats' will be about. That and their social media activity.

I would email them but in all likelihood the staff answering their emails are probably young, woke and prone to doxxing women they disagree with.

That's why I emailed the Group Comms Director directly.

How embarrassing for the 4/5 that their failed attempts at a pathetic moral crusade is only being reported on in the Daily Mail.....

I bet they expected Hachette to capitulate and agree to Do Better, and for them all to get personal full page interviews in the press where they can expand on how men have periods too. After a photo shoot and a free lunch.

Glad we dodged this bullet.

They must have

I must buy this when it comes out.

Oh god I need my toes surgically in curled. They wanted their bosses to cancel J K Rowling?? Oh my sides.

Imagine thinking your workplace should protect you from things you don't agree with. I wish them luck in their onward journey.

'So, why did you leave leading publisher Hachette?'

but the headines make it look as if JKR is "Transphobic"

Do casual readers get the wrong idea idea now?

She is pro women not anti trans FFS!

@RuffleCrow

Their staff are fucking idiots. Imagine putting your job on the line for a bunch of males threatening to sexually assault and murder a woman. How did these people even get through the interview process?!

A bunch of threatening males.

Exactly

"Spoken to individually by their managers" does rather imply less "you are SO right on and you will now be promoted for being so amazing" and more "let's have a chat about your level of professionalism", with a bit of "profitability for dummies" thrown in.

but the headines make it look as if JKR is "Transphobic"

*Do casual readers get the wrong idea idea now?

She is pro women not anti trans FFS!*

Yes, I wish the papers would report that these people were taking a stand against JK Rowling's pro-woman comments.

It would show just how ridiculous things have got.

Sorry, bold fail above, up to FFS in my last post was quoting a pp.

"They wanted their bosses to cancel J K Rowling??"

Dear Mother and Father - We demand that you cancel 'Sunday lunch with granny because the whole 'old people' thing triggers us

Dear Reverend Jones - We demand that you cancel easter because the whole 'crucifixion' thing triggers us

Dear Mrs Queen - We demand that you cancel all gun salutes because the whole 'bang' thing triggers us

Dear Mr Pope - We demand that you cancel all incense because the whole 'smelly' thing triggers us

Reverend God - We demand that you cancel death because the whole 'dead' thing triggers us

This is the genius of her putting herself on the line: she's literally too big to fail. Hachette aren't going to give up the £££££££ they've budgeted on making from the book. And even if Hachette dropped her she'd have other publishers queueing round the block. Failing that she could self-publish and it would barely dent her financially. In fact, she'd probably make more that way, without a publisher taking their sizeable percentage.

Even if she never makes another penny, she and her family can live very comfortably forever on what she’s amassed.

This is why we need the multi-millionaires to speak up.

I was thinking that, Rufflecrow Rowling is so big now that the publishers need her more than she needs them.

@TheIncredibleBookEatingManchot

I was thinking that, Rufflecrow Rowling is so big now that the publishers need her more than she needs them.

Exactly this. Those poor little simpletons, trying to flex their woke muscles without engaging their tiny brains.

If I was their boss, i'd really want to know which part of her post that they disagreed with! She said literally nothing "against" transgender people

Me too. I'd like them to take me through it would by word. There are only four tweets.

Good point about the grannies. Have they checked that their grannies are fully on board with menstruators and lady dick? I'd so hate for them to inherit filthy money from vile transphobes. I'm sure they'll nobly refuse such tainted funds.

Dear Hachettes,
I am a damn good editor, fond of JKR and currently have some spare time.
Just saying...

I'd so hate for them to inherit filthy money from vile transphobes. I'm sure they'll nobly refuse such tainted funds.

They'll have to get a job that's not in publishing, then.

I was cracking up reading that Mail article. Here is my favourite paragraph:

The group - whose staff have threatened to down tools in protest at Rowling's views on gender - have also published a book simply titled Woke by Titania McGrath.

I wish I was their boss. I would say simply "if you cannot work on a book whose author has views you disagree with then I'm afraid publishing is not for you".

So glad to see companies standing up to this authoritarian nonsense.