The Uncancelling of JK Rowling

[NutellaEllaElla]

Gosh it is heartening to see even more evidence that the tide has turned. She's stuck to her guns and been too reasonable to be cancelled by the misogynists.

Times article here

I loved that one. I think it was the same week as “snapped and farted”.

Where has the time gone.

Sorry for the digression.

On JK Rowlings chosen pen-names: I read an interview with her where she told that either her agent or her publisher told her, when the first Harry Potter book was published, to use her initial and not her first name as boys would be less likely to read a book written by a woman.

So the problem the Bronte sisters faced hasn't actually gone away.

The reference to the history of women's subjugation earlier in this thread struck me as something important when it comes to the gender identity ideology:

It erases that history and the misogynistic present by its rules and makes fighting against sex-based oppression extremely difficult. That erasure or ignorance is the only way women, as a female sex class, are suddenly viewed as privileged over some sub-category of men of the male sex class: By pretending that women are not discriminated against or subject to sexual violence etc.

I think the fact that she stood firm and refused to back down has made a real difference in this battle. Fair play, JKR!

(Yes, the fact that she is a very wealthy woman made it easier for her to take a principled stance.... but then, look at the number of very wealthy people who still cringed and cowered before the TRA mob, because in spite of all their money, they could not bear the idea of being disliked or being unpopular for a bit. JKR was brave and did the right thing.)

Lovely to see Evanna Lynch’s sensible quote repeated by the Telegraph:

‘Evanna Lynch, who played Luna Lovegood in the films, told The Telegraph in February: “Her [Rowling’s] character has always been to advocate for the most vulnerable members of society… I do wish people would just give her more grace and listen to her.”’

I totally agree. Claiming an oppressed group's history as your own when it's patently not is awful.

You're calling mitigating oppression a benefit? That's totally shit tbh. Really shit. I'm guessing you don't support any positive discrimination then? Are you a white, middle class, able, heterosexual male? Because that is the group most prone to spout such nonsense. Usually actually because they have no reflective ability or don't care to make society more equal.

The ‘talk about suicide’ is very much real.

Evidence for the 'trans-bashing', please.

Rowling never claimed to be a man. She used a pen name, which is common for authors to do. Ever hear of George Sands, who was a woman?

And there are no "perceived benefits" for Rowling to use the pen name Robert Galbraith. She is a phenomenally popular and wealthy writer whose books, written under her real (although abbreviated) name, have spawned an entire industry.

If you are going to criticise her, go ahead, but at least give her the courtesy of getting your facts straight. By not doing so, your posts are idiotic.

Well I have a life time IP ban with reddit for being gender critical and questioning the status quo. Even if they lifted that I have a hard time forgiving them for it. I kind of hope they go up in flames. I just pissed off the wrong mod really. Also if they change their mind just because it’s popular opinion they are capable to swinging to extremes again and abusing their powers yet again. I’m pretty salty about reddit really. They banned my husband too even though all he does is read about gaming computers and movies just because he was on the same modem as me. You can’t make this up!

@Areyoureal the 'talk of suicide' has been shown to be as factual as the rest of Mermaid's nonsense. If you speak to detransitioners, loads of them say they were coached to pretend to feel suicidal because they knew that was the way to get hold of puberty blockers or cross sex hormones.

Professor Michael Biggs analysed the Tavistock GIDS and national suicide figures and found that suicide amongst young children in England and Wales is, thankfully, vanishingly rare and there is no evidence that there is a high rate among trans-identified children.

You may be interested to do more reading, the following link is very informative:
Suicide Facts and Myths - Transgender Trend

Dr Polly Carmichael of the Tavistock Clinic has also confirmed that suicide amongst gender non conforming kids is vanishingly rare.

Why not use a female pen name then? Why change gender?

Because JKR said she wanted to separate from the Harry potter series and see if she was an author who could switch genres. Her books have been a great success

Doesn't answer the question. Why not Jane Smith?

Because it's well known in publishing that women are willing to read books by both men and women but men are biased against female authors. So by choosing Jane Smith she would be effectively halving her readership.

Everyday sexism innit.

Yep, but she's got issues with men doing the reverse.

Not for the purposes of writing, or indeed any other activities where sex doesn't matter.

Nope, as a female I would never do this. I’d queue. Because I wouldn’t feel safe and because I wouldn’t want to invade a male-only space and potentially make males feel uncomfortable with my presence. I would respect their right to a male-only space.

I seriously doubt she'd give a flying fuck if a bloke called himself Gloria Sparkles for the purposes of writing a lovely romance aimed at a female market.

If he subsequently decided that entitled him to use women's toilets or a bed in a women's hospital ward, that's a different story.

It's not difficult.

What's the issue with toilets? Are you assuming trans women are likely sex offenders?

This is just the "we don't want gays near children" argument rebadged really, your arguments will be outdated and deemed as inappropriate in a few years. Best get with the times I reckon. Embrace the change!!

What's the issue with toilets? Are you assuming trans women are likely sex offenders?

Clearly some are. Isla Bryson, Karen White, Barbie Kardashian to name just a few. Since it's not possible to tell which transwomen/men are sex offenders, ALL transwomen/men need to stay out of women's spaces no matter how they "identify".

Nowt to do with "embracing change" or "getting with the times" - it's about protecting women. But then you knew that, didn't you?

Pot stirring methinks. Don't rise to it @SidewaysOtter

Not diggetydog. You need to educate yourself. If you are a sexual predator who wants access to females it’s easier to say you identify as a female to gain access to female only spaces. It’s nothing to do with not wanting “gays near children”.