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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

JKR Didn’t Have an Opinion. She Poisoned the Well

1000 replies

CSIRCP · 28/08/2025 14:32

This post will likely be a little too long for most, but if you can spare the time and have a cuppa handy let's sit down and have a chat, shall we?

Firstly, let’s stop calling this a debate. It’s not. This isn’t two sets of ideas clashing. This is one woman’s fear and confusion being weaponized against an entire community.

What J.K. Rowling has done is not just share an opinion. She’s poisoned the well. And that poison is spreading through politics, education, the media, and even the courts.

At the beginning, it might have looked like a tweet. Then a blog. But what she wrote in that essay was revealing: “If I’d been born thirty years later, I too might have tried to transition. The allure of escaping womanhood would have been huge.”
That’s not neutral. That’s projection. It was a confession, repackaged as concern. She projected her own dysphoria and personal battles onto the entire trans community and used it as the foundation for a movement built on suspicion and fear.

She said she cared about women’s rights. Then aligned herself with those who believe all trans women are predators.
She liked racist and Islamophobic tweets. She repeated antisemitic tropes. She cast activists as violent men in dresses. She accused anyone who challenged her of misogyny while branding herself the face of feminism.
All the while she built up a devoted audience that now includes some of the most extreme anti-trans voices in Britain and beyond.

This “gender critical” movement is not about safety, and it’s certainly not about truth. It’s about control.
Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull (Posie Parker), one of Rowling’s ideological allies, has welcomed neo-Nazis to her rallies. Actual Nazis. The kind of people Rowling once wrote villains about.
In one case, people connected to this movement were linked to the satanic terror group 764 — a group that has influenced teen suicides and violent attacks in UK schools. Let that sink in. This is who she’s empowering.

She didn’t just turn away when that started. She doubled down. She gave this movement a gloss of legitimacy. She used her fame to funnel people toward disinformation, fear, and cruelty—and dressed it all up as feminism. But it isn’t feminism when it excludes, vilifies, and harms other women. Especially trans women. Especially intersex people. Especially anyone who doesn’t fit into the narrow fantasy of who is acceptable.

Rowling’s language now echoes in government documents. Her phrases like “gender ideology” have been lifted from far right sources, including the Vatican and authoritarian regimes, and mainstreamed into British law. Her influence helped set the stage for the UK Supreme Court to redefine the word “woman” based on sex assigned at birth, stripping rights from trans and intersex people under the Equality Act. That’s what happens when the well is poisoned. People stop thinking. They start reacting.

Meanwhile, her cult chant her slogans as though they are scientific fact. But science says otherwise. Peer-reviewed studies show that trans people’s brain structures do not align with their sex assigned at birth. They show that gender identity forms in the womb, shaped by hormones and biology not ideology. Large-scale DNA studies have found gene variants linked to gender incongruence. And intersex people exist. That is biological fact. Not one of these truths can be erased by Rowling’s fiction.

What makes this so dangerous is how calm it all sounds. Rowling doesn’t scream. She whispers. She calls it “concern.” She says she’s “just asking questions.”
But it’s never neutral to question someone’s right to exist. It’s not a debate when one side is simply trying to live and the other is trying to strip away their legal recognition and healthcare.

This isn’t just a disagreement. This is a slow campaign of erasure, led by someone with a global platform and millions in the bank.

She’s not some deluded soul from MN; she’s a multi-millionaire author whose words shape global policy. She’s not being silenced. She’s being echoed by judges, by pundits, by politicians trying to climb the ladder by stepping on the backs of trans, non-binary, and intersex people.

And let’s not pretend it stops there. Her influence has allowed people to feel safe expressing open homophobia, biphobia, and hatred toward anyone who challenges gender norms. Some of the same people aligned with her have mocked survivors, denied racism, and claimed slavery was “fine” if it was “kind.”
This is not a group grounded in empathy. It’s a movement that thrives on exclusion and resentment. Some of them now openly identify as neo Nazis. That’s where we are.

So next time someone says “she’s just worried” or “she’s not anti-trans” or “can’t we just disagree,” consider these words. Show them what poison looks like. Not just hateful speech but the deliberate seeding of doubt, division, and cruelty, all wrapped in a soft voice and a smug smile. J.K. Rowling didn’t protect anyone. She infected people. And when she’s gone, her legacy won’t be literature it will be the damage she left behind.

You don’t need to cancel her. You just need to see her clearly.
And if you blindly follow Rowling and her ideas then you need to reflect on what you’re really endorsing.

Because ignorance is not an excuse. Not anymore.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
34
BeanQuisine · 28/08/2025 17:10

For the record: Far from being some kind of feminist haven, Norway, like other Scandinavian nations, has high and increasing rates of violence and sexual violence against actual women, by actual men - significantly higher than the EU average. It's a well-known problem, the "Nordic Paradox".

And no, it's certainly not "GC feminists" who are raping Norwegian women - it's Norwegian men, regardless of their pronouns.

This study confirms that increasing numbers of Norwegian women are being subject to rape, sexual assault and other male violence, in line with other Nordic countries:

Forcible rape, physical violence, and physical partner violence were highly prevalent in 2022 and remain significant challenges in Norway. The reported exposure to all three severe violence forms increased among females between 2013 and 2022. These findings call for immediate action and underscore the need for continued governmental efforts toward preventing violence. Given the high prevalence, these efforts should be targeted towards the general population.

Changes in the prevalence of forcible rape, physical violence, and physical partner violence among men and women in Norway: a population-based repeated cross-sectional study in 2013 and 2022 - PMC

Repeated prevalence studies are necessary to monitor the government's progress toward preventing community violence over time. This study aims to identify possible changes in self-reported physical violence, forcible rape, and physical partner ...

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12023532/

ArabellaScott · 28/08/2025 17:11

Content warning on that link. Descriptions of disturbing people.

'A prominent Norwegian psychologist with connections to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) was previously associated with multinational pro-pedophile groups which lobbied for lowering the age of consent. Thore Langfeldt assisted in the organizing of a 2009 WPATH conference in Oslo that focused on gender identity and children.'

https://reduxx.info/exclusive-norwegian-sexologist-linked-to-leading-transgender-health-authority-previously-worked-with-pro-pedophilia-lobby-group/

MarieDeGournay · 28/08/2025 17:11

This reply has been deleted

Removed for quoting a deleted post.

Igneococcus · 28/08/2025 17:12

Do we think the OP will come back? I'd really like a reference to those DNA claims.

MistyGreenAndBlue · 28/08/2025 17:12

Sammybabes16 · 28/08/2025 16:39

Yes but dime animals are capable of changing sex and the biggest driver of this is hormones.

The same can be applied to humans

No man, no matter how many hormones he takes, can grow himself a female reproductive system.
No uterus, no ovaries, no eggs.

And the reproductive system is the basis of sex.

Also, the few species that can change sex, do not do so by taking pills or using patches. It happens naturally. If hormones are the catalyst for these changes, the creature in question produces them itself. So no, not the same. Humans cannot do this. Not even artificially.

SlackJawedDisbeliefXY · 28/08/2025 17:14

What JKR has done is create a kind of "activism dopamine"; a hate activity which makes people feel like they're doing something without actually doing anything

Always remember - one person's 'activism dopamine' is another's 'grass roots campaign'

Greyskybluesky · 28/08/2025 17:14

Yes @MarieDeGournay, that's the post that I wondered why it got deleted. I was going to respond to it.

How dare that poster refer to women in Afghanistan when they can't even define what a woman is.

ArabellaScott · 28/08/2025 17:15

https://www.whrc.no/

Norwegian version of Women's Declaration International.

ArabellaScott · 28/08/2025 17:15

https://www.yahoo.com/news/norwegian-medical-watchdog-encourages-country-210209339.html

'The Norwegian Healthcare Investigation Board (UKOM) has ruled that national guidelines on the use of puberty blockers and gender-reassignment surgeries need to be revised to reflect the lack of sufficient medical evidence supporting such procedures.
Under the new guidelines recommended by UKOM, hormone therapy and gender-reassignment surgery for minors would be restricted to research settings and not made otherwise available.
“The knowledge base, especially research-based knowledge for gender-affirming treatment (hormonal and surgical), is deficient and the long-term effects are little known,” the agency’s report argues. “This is particularly true for the teenage population where the stability of their gender incongruence is also not known.”'

Norwegian Medical Watchdog Encourages Country to Ditch ‘Gender-Affirming’ Care Guidelines

The Norwegian Healthcare Investigation Board ruled that national guidelines on the use of puberty blockers and gender-reassignment surgeries need to be revised.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/norwegian-medical-watchdog-encourages-country-210209339.html

Namelessnelly · 28/08/2025 17:16

Sammybabes16 · 28/08/2025 16:50

Yes some women can have babies some cannot. They includes women born women at birth

Errr no one’s born a woman. Bless you. So if the word woman does not mean adult human female, what is the word for an adult human female?

BackToLurk · 28/08/2025 17:16

ImGoingUpstairsToTakeOffMyHat · 28/08/2025 16:18

Can you show us a study please?
I have asked for a few but never been given an answer.

So we’ve gone from malt women to “women I’ve met”

Do you understand how statistics work? Or did you genuinely think they were based on people YOU, just you, know? If so, how arrogant of you!

Not sure how they can claim they know what women believe without first defining what women are

nutmeg7 · 28/08/2025 17:16

ImGoingUpstairsToTakeOffMyHat · 28/08/2025 17:05

Nobody thinks this. Except maybe you.

But no men can give birth. Thats not the same as saying “those who can’t give birth aren’t women”. The definition of a woman is not “non man”. Do you understand?

BTW, what is a woman? What is gender?

Edited

Here we are @Sammybabes16

This should sort out the logic problems for you.

Unless you don't understand Venn diagrams.

JKR Didn’t Have an Opinion. She Poisoned the Well
Merrymouse · 28/08/2025 17:17

Greyskybluesky · 28/08/2025 17:14

Yes @MarieDeGournay, that's the post that I wondered why it got deleted. I was going to respond to it.

How dare that poster refer to women in Afghanistan when they can't even define what a woman is.

On shaky ground if referencing Afghanistan to attack JKR.

Very 'What did the Romans do for us'?

(ironically).

MarieDeGournay · 28/08/2025 17:17

Greyskybluesky · 28/08/2025 17:14

Yes @MarieDeGournay, that's the post that I wondered why it got deleted. I was going to respond to it.

How dare that poster refer to women in Afghanistan when they can't even define what a woman is.

I should have written faster! it wasn't deleted when I started my reply.

I felt it was confused to the point of being disturbed/disturbing, and I said I wasn't going to engage with the OP..
Is that a quote from my own deleted post? I hope not; more of a clarifying paraphrase.

JanesLittleGirl · 28/08/2025 17:17

ArabellaScott · 28/08/2025 15:49

And fucking horrible to dolphins tbh

Orcas are dolphins.

Greyskybluesky · 28/08/2025 17:19

Merrymouse · 28/08/2025 17:17

On shaky ground if referencing Afghanistan to attack JKR.

Very 'What did the Romans do for us'?

(ironically).

It was (or seemed to be, was not entirely understandable) using women in Afghanistan as a stick to beat UK GC women with. I.e. why don't we care about them. So that argument can fuck right off.

BackToLurk · 28/08/2025 17:20

Sammybabes16 · 28/08/2025 16:47

That is correct and unfortunately not all women born keen can either.

In Norway like most Scandinavian countries we believe strongly in equal rights for all groups.

They is why maternity/paternity leave has equal weighting

Nice first sentence that underlines that you know transwomen aren’t women.

Biscofffan · 28/08/2025 17:21

NeverOneBiscuit · 28/08/2025 14:59

@BeLemonNow

Well let me see. As has been exposed we are a very secret cult, a hive mind moving as one. So I could surreptitiously sneak you a bingo card ……

Or, a couple of hours on MN & the ‘numbers’ will be plain to see, as I know you know. Just a selection

Nazis
Kelly Jay Keen (& adjacent Nazis)
Intersex
just allowed to exist
most marginalised
JKR = evil world dominator, grifter
racism
antisemitic
islamophobic
you think all transwomen are predators
anti trans
suicide
dressed up as feminism

There are bonus points for full on hilarity. Such as in this case, JKR setting the stage for the Supreme Court to redefine the word woman to make the men feel hurty. 🤣🤣

House!!

This 😂👏

PrawnofthePatriarchy · 28/08/2025 17:32

Igneococcus · 28/08/2025 14:53

I think we need a roll call of the posters who've been here before JKR got involved in this debate. I mean I was here since the legendary langcleg (albeit under a different name).

I was here under the same name when this was all fields. I don't post as often as I used to, because so many brilliant new posters have joined us to carry on the fight but I'm still here.

The OP is a pile of crap and not worth my time.

Heggettypeg · 28/08/2025 17:33

This whole "it wouldn't be happening if JKR hadn't started it" trope reminds me of a funny thing I saw once on an internet forum.
The first Harry Potter film and the first Lord of the Rings film were released around the same time. An enthusiastic young HP fan was bigging up HP and disparaging LOTR (things did get a bit tribal at times) and said loftily "Of course, Lord of the Rings is just a rip-off of Harry Potter, really."

(For those that don't already know, Lord of the Rings was published way back in the 1950s...)

Bannedontherun · 28/08/2025 17:37
Sleepy Do Not Disturb GIF by KeaBabies

Oh its mumsnet i was having a bad dream <goes back to sleep>

Catiette · 28/08/2025 17:38

Sammybabes16 · 28/08/2025 15:35

Why is the definition orca woman so important to you? To different people it has different meanings. In Norway and most Scandinavian countries we may have a different viewpoint to TERFs.

I cannot understand your obsession with this point. As a feminist I’m more concerned about women’s rights. In Norway it’s excellent.

Sammy, last time I posted a detailed reply to an opening essay like yours, it was the only entry on a lengthy thread that responded point-by-point, it was polite, and it was reposted several times by myself and others. The original poster ignored it entirely. As well as the dozens of other polite, intelligent and insightful responses. Honestly, it was pretty clear that they weren't able to engage on the same level as most posters here when they really engage, and instead effectively scarpered.

Do you know how often this happens on this site? Pretty much every day.

If you want to see what we have to say in response to your arguments, set aside a few hours and read some other threads that start like your own - every single point you made is refuted ad infinitum throughout the forum. A few minutes' good-faith browsing will get you a cornucopia of intelligent take-downs.

But me? Today, this was more entertaining...

Orca Woman (noun): a courageous warrior in the battle for sex-based rights. Important to me because she represents FWR-ers everywhere in her resistance to the tidal wave of logical fallacies, naive generalisations and snide hypocrisy that flood this board. Defines what we stand for in neatly netting these frothing, watery attacks in whale-constructed ripostes and (when she can be bothered) and leviathan intelligence. Feeds on the ample supply of plankton available here.

JKR Didn’t Have an Opinion. She Poisoned the Well
Catiette · 28/08/2025 17:43

Image obviously of whale-related superheroine. Chat GPT had issues with her, too, for some reason. But Orca Woman is nothing if not tenacious, and ultimately prevailed. As she will above... after image review.

I hope.

Catiette · 28/08/2025 17:43

Gah, though - did I just read above she's a dolphin? Dammit!

Sammybabes16 · 28/08/2025 17:49

Many definitions of woman. The GC cultists seem more obsessed with his than equality or fairness or life itself

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/woman

woman

1. an adult female human being: 2. an adult who lives and identifies as female…

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/woman

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