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Original poster

Stephen King on twitter today......

55 replies

rabbitwoman · 20/05/2021 15:31

'If you didn't look closely, you'd believeper Uproxxthat I said J.K. Rowling's opinion on trans women is shitty and hateful. I didn't say that. The author, Josh Kurp said that. This is an editorial masquerading as information.'

Then he says:

'My opinion is that Jo Rowling is wrong about trans women. Leave shitty and hateful out of it, please.'

Now, he is entitled to that opinion ad has expressed it respectfully so that's fine.... But anyone else get the impression that he has not really understood what she wrote.

She wrote in her essay about abusive men, and how they will use self ID to abuse women.

She wrote about freedom of speech and shutting down women 's voices.

And women' s sports?

THOSE are the really important parts if the essay, Stephen. What's you opinion on that?

OP posts:
teawamutu · 20/05/2021 15:42

His opinion is that he can afford to be kind because it doesn't really affect him.

My opinion of him is through the cellar and falling.

MedusasBadHairDay · 20/05/2021 15:44

Interesting how he doesn't like people extrapolating from things he said into our hyperbole...

Original poster
rabbitwoman · 20/05/2021 15:45

I don't really mind if he has a difference of opinion, but of course, why tweet that NOW. It has stirred up another twit storm of abuse for JKR. I have been reading through the tweets just now, the usual, and ALL the same comments and arguments from ten months ago, I can't even be bothered to get involved myself... .. Although, a much more even 50/50 split then there was....

OP posts:
Monicuddle · 20/05/2021 15:46

The threats of rape and violence against him are disgusti....oh wait 🧐

Helleofabore · 20/05/2021 15:47

I believe his daughter might be genderqueer? This must influence his post of view

Helleofabore · 20/05/2021 15:48

point of view. Not post

AnyOldPrion · 20/05/2021 15:49

I was depressed to see him jumping back in with both feet today. Seems pretty shitty and hateful to target Joanne Rowling AGAIN, having seen how much shit she’s already had. It was obvious he was going to rile everything up again, given the size of his online profile.

gamerchick · 20/05/2021 15:52

He's a coward. He dipped his toe in defending her, backpedaled swiftly and made it worse for JKR.

That's when I lost respect for the man. He's a bit of an arsehole if he's stirred up the hive again.

Kit19 · 20/05/2021 16:05

Just stop talking Stephen!

yourhairiswinterfire · 20/05/2021 16:10

It would help if the people taking offense at what she said about transwomen actually clarified which bit, because all I can see from her writing on the subject is compassion?

Which of these statements are they saying is 'wrong'?

I happen to know a self-described transsexual woman who’s older than I am and wonderful. Although she’s open about her past as a gay man, I’ve always found it hard to think of her as anything other than a woman, and I believe (and certainly hope) she’s completely happy to have transitioned.

--

If you could come inside my head and understand what I feel when I read about a trans woman dying at the hands of a violent man, you’d find solidarity and kinship. I have a visceral sense of the terror in which those trans women will have spent their last seconds on earth, because I too have known moments of blind fear when I realised that the only thing keeping me alive was the shaky self-restraint of my attacker.

--

Trans people need and deserve protection. Like women, they’re most likely to be killed by sexual partners. Trans women who work in the sex industry, particularly trans women of colour, are at particular risk. Like every other domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor I know, I feel nothing but empathy and solidarity with trans women who’ve been abused by men.

--

So I want trans women to be safe. At the same time, I do not want to make natal girls and women less safe. When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he’s a woman – and, as I’ve said, gender confirmation certificates may now be granted without any need for surgery or hormones – then you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside. That is the simple truth.

She wants transwomen to be safe. She's empathetic to the transwomen who have been in violent relationships. Bit strange to say that's 'wrong', tbf Confused

Helmetbymidnight · 20/05/2021 16:15

He joins the 'men who are huge disappointments' crowd.

How sweet of him to define women for us.

how pathetic of him to say JKR is wrong - but not be able to articulate what she said or why its wrong.

Utter arsehole.

Fernlake · 20/05/2021 16:17

You'll never get anyone quoting which bits are wrong, or transphobic, or for that matter, shitty and hateful.

But people in the mainstream, like King, should know by now, that running a mile from actually writing even a single sentence about why she's wrong, just reflects on them in a way that no one with an ounce of self awareness should embrace.

Couchbettato · 20/05/2021 16:20

It feels like he's opened his mouth now strategically to stop the dust settling. It's absolutely an abuse of power and status and serves no purpose but to further any hatred towards JK.

Which is precisely part of the issue that JK was highlighting when she said if you open the door to any one who identifies as a woman they will abuse that power.

TedImgoingmad · 20/05/2021 16:40

Has this just come out of absolutely nowhere, or has someone else recently cross referenced what he said last year?

If not, he sounds like someone who's fallen asleep mid conversation, woken up and resumed where he left off, not realising everyone else has moved on.

JKR's just won a literary award. Maybe he's a bit envious??

toffeebutterpopcorn · 20/05/2021 16:58

Wasn’t he whinging that the old meanie lady ‘cancelled’ him (blocked him on twitter after he trashed her online).

What a whinging cry baby.

Original poster
rabbitwoman · 20/05/2021 17:21

Not surprised she's blocked him.

If he thinks she's wrong about trans women, then obviously he does not think trans women should be treated with respect. He does not believe they deserve protection. Because that's what she has actually SAID....

OP posts:
FindTheTruth · 20/05/2021 17:23

Thanks for posting what she actually said winterfire. it always gets conveniently missed and ignored by the men condemning her.

Defaultname · 20/05/2021 17:30

And to think that I've never read even one of the fourteen million three hundred thousand and ninety-six pages what he wrote.

Saw one of the films, though. Didn't Carrie identify out of girldom and become a man?

EsmaCannonball · 20/05/2021 17:30

All I will say is that during lockdown I have been reading books I wouldn't normally try and It was the most egregiously sexist book I have ever read. I'm not going to spoiler it, but if you've read it you'll know why I doubt the opinions on anything to do with female liberation or safety from the man who came up with the storyline of the main female character.

Original poster
rabbitwoman · 20/05/2021 17:34

See, I can handle a difference of opinion between adults. That's fine.

But JKR said so much in her essay on this issue. To sum it up in such a brief tweet, then mike drop, is not honest.

OP posts:
nauticant · 20/05/2021 17:43

I've read one Stephen King book and that was Under the Dome. The descriptions of the violence, and particularly violence against women, were so gratuitous I assumed they'd been written for someone to get off on. Nasty enough for me to be put off all of his books. There are loads of other books to read, many of them excellent.

Also it has one of the stupidest endings I've read in any book.

FightingtheFoo · 20/05/2021 17:48

I just don't get why he thinks his opinion matters at all.

He's not female. He's not trans.

He has no dog in this fight.

Theunamedcat · 20/05/2021 18:06

He used to be my favourite writer i now find him lacking in depth and substance plus now im looking closer at him i find how he treats women in his books appalling even the one he wrote with his son

DogsDinner · 20/05/2021 18:07

I’ve recently read ‘Sleeping Beauties’, a book he wrote with his son, and in that book they envisage how much better life would be for many women without men in it, and how violent and damaging men can be to women’s lives.

He definitely knows why women need their own spaces. He could make such a difference if he would come out in support of JKR.

Theunamedcat · 20/05/2021 18:22

@DogsDinner

I’ve recently read ‘Sleeping Beauties’, a book he wrote with his son, and in that book they envisage how much better life would be for many women without men in it, and how violent and damaging men can be to women’s lives.

He definitely knows why women need their own spaces. He could make such a difference if he would come out in support of JKR.

Except the ending the ending sucks for women too its like his son wrote the book and let his dad in for the ending