Well, hello Emma Watson

[crumpet]

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-15130209/Harry-Potter-Emma-Watson-treasures-J-K-Rowling-trans-rights.html

I'm really sorry but you are wrong. I'd like to point out that the Webelo kid was androgynous. The Webelo kid was wearing a scouts uniform. It is clear that this is not a kid with a trans identity, just a child in uniform which makes the other kids are unsure if the kid is a boy or girl.

Look at all that again. And ask yourself: what was the purpose of this character? How were they treated on the show? What point was being made with the inclusion of this scene?

The purpose of the Webelo kid character was as a plot vehicle to introduce prediction market betting apps. The Webelo kid was treated similarly to everyone else who talks in that classroom, the four boys don't listen and whisper amongst themselves. It was a plot device to move the story forward.

Because I'd say the character was introduced in a neutral to sympathetic way.

The Webelo kid is introduced neutrally, yes.

The message being "this is just who they are". The child isn't unhappy or confused, it's everyone else who has the problem!

This is inaccurate. There isn't a message in the appearance of the Webelo kid. The Webelo kid is not a child with a trans identity.

So to make it accurate, really it should be "A Webelo kid is just who they are (a kid in a scouts type club). The Webelo kid isn't unhappy or confused, no one else has a problem (with the kid being in the scouts)!"

As for the betting app, as you point out, it's portrayed in-show as a negative thing.

Agree.

The kids use it to fixate on ridiculous things and ruin people's lives.

I wouldn't say "fixate on", because South Park episodes have always shown the boys getting caught up in the newest fad, and then moving on to the next thing - like children do. It's a peer betting app so of course people will bet on ridiculous things. Again however, no one in this episode had a trans identity.

I find it really hard to believe the message Matt and Trey were trying to convey with this one wasn't: "Non-binary kids are heckin valid and just want to live their lives! Their gender doesn't matter to anyone and wondering about it or trying to find it out is an invasive, childish thing to do!"

No, this is inaccurate because no one in this episode had a trans identity, or a non-binary one either for that matter. There was no judgement on the boys showing natural curiosity about what sex the Webelo kid was, and again the Webelo kid was onscreen for less than 30s and the total chat about the Webelo kid after was only a few seconds worth of "I'm 60% sure it's a boy" "Nah dude I'm like 88% sure its a girl" before the betting app comes out and we move on to will Shelia bomb a Palestinian hospital bet.

The Webelo kid is never spoken about again for the rest of the episode.

The message seems to be that the child in question is happy as they are and the kids (and by extension, the audience) don't need to know if their classmate is a boy or a girl.

Inaccurate again IMO. I think they showed that children are naturally curious about these things.

Matt and Trey never answer the question, and seem to withhold the answer as a kind of gotcha to the audience.

It's not a gotcha, the Webelo kid isn't trans identified or non binary, just androgynous and in a scouts type uniform. The Webelo kid had served its purpose as the vehicle with which to introduce the real plot - the prediction market app betting.

The kids don't mock this new peer, as they once would have.

They would have if the Webelo kid was actually at their school, they mock everyone.

And the show doesn't comment on the reasoning behind the character's strange decision to go through life hiding such a basic fact.

The show doesn't show the Webelo kid as hiding their sex, the show makes no comment on this child other than that he or she is androgynous in the Webelo uniform. You are reading a lot more into this than what was there, the child was literally in the episode for less than 60 seconds, it's really not that deep my friend.

We aren't shown any parents driving their behaviour, or given any other indication of what's going on here.

Why would we? The behaviour shown is a talk on joining the Webelo, there is nothing else going on here.

Let alone a critique of the phenomenon.

The phenomenon being scouts type clubs for children? Prediction market apps? I'm joking, I know what you mean, but no sorry you are really reading far too much into it.

My feeling is that South Park has sold out on this one. I agree they didn't go all in, but there was a distinct whiff of "protect trans kids" / "it's no big deal" / "my gender is none of your business" propaganda about this scene. It felt off.

Sorry but there was absolutely none of this in the episode. It is never explicitly stated, or implied that the Webelo kid is trans identified or non-binary.

Out of curiosity @SnoopyPajamas you said this earlier

Personally I think the creators of South Park, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, could be the next ones to fall. They've been hinting they might be about to ride into battle for trans ideology since they put trans flag colours on the opening credits of the season premiere.

I just went back for a look at the season premiere opening credits and I didn't see a trans flag anywhere, can you tell me where it apparently appears please?

Emma Watson is blathering her victimhood in the Telegraph today 🙄 . The main thrust of her struggle, no exaggeration, is simply saying how she had to take beta blockers to walk on the red carpet … because of her nervousness to walk …. on the red carpet. Truly, why does anyone care what this woman thinks or says? Also on what merit basis is she an Ambassador for the United Nations women’s section. It truly beggars belief. It’s so disrespectful to real women.

I can extend sympathy to a woman who grew up in the public eye. It never offers a good, healthy start to life.

Clearly she's looking to promote something. Most talentless twats trying to kickstart a comeback get some publicity by telling anyone who'll listen about how terrible JKR is. I guess she thought she'd buck the trend?

She has been doing a “creative writing” course, so what are the odds that she has a first novel, book of short stories, or heartfelt poems going the rounds! I wonder if she would publish under her own name ( and get sales) or risk publishing under a pseudonym and possibly getting ignored. If she is on the verge of publishing she might also be a bit worried in case she gets reviewed by You Know Who, who as we all know - don’t we Nicola 🙂- has a sharp quill ready to poke holes if required, which could all explain the “But I have always loved and respected her “ vibe we are now picking up.

'Beta blockers'

eg. comments on the DT article. As you might imagine nobody is impressed:

“Why are we getting daily articles about Emma Watson? She has given up acting and lost all credibility with her attacks on J K Rowling, the woman who made her. No one cares about her. She's yesterday's child star and today's nobody.”

and 😂

”I once walked on some coconut matting. Luckily I was pissed out of my mind, otherwise I wouldn't have coped.”

Is she still on the board of Balenciaga?

She's the gavel.

…

I’ve just seen this post. I watched the 1 minute video. She definitely mouthed “bar one” just as is stated. That’s a pretty nasty dig at JKR and it was only in 2022.

I’m like wow 😯

Has this been posted? Sorry but its excellent 😆

https://x.com/intellady/status/1971310795335340484?refsrc=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1971310795335340484%7Ctwgr%5Ec96cfab157dda9369c55c7ac43204c3c169f990c%7Ctwcon%5Es1c10&refurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Ftvshowbiz%2Farticle-15142625%2FJK-Rowling-praises-clip-poking-fun-Emma-Watson-Harry-Potter-trans-rights.html

JKR is ‘here for All the spoofs’. 😂😂

Wtf? I didn't know that! How the hell is she an Ambassador for the United Nations women’s section? That's like having a Mens Rights Activist an Ambassador for women. Or an unrepentant alcoholic an Ambassador for AA. EW doe not believe in womens rights. Wtf is she playing at, being an ambassador for women? This must be some kind of a sick joke they're playing.

It could be at 35 Emma Watson has clocked that older women aren’t necessarily malicious hags and do can talk sense
Also, acknowledging that other people have legitimate opinions and are not committing literal genoicde is a good starting point to evaluate those opinions (and hopefully clock at some stage that in this instance they’re not so much opinions as facts)

Last week I was impressed with her PR, I thought it was an interesting strategy and got her back into public consciousness. But this week it’s gone too far, and tipped over into ‘enough already’ territory. One or two self deprecating remarks, fine. ‘Me soooo relatable because mental health’ bashed over our heads in puff piece after puff piece - just stop.
It’s time to shhhhh.

Creative writing degrees are a bit of a scam anyway. Loads of people do them, but you never hear of an interesting new writer who's done one.

If Emma enjoys it, fine, she can afford whatever leisure activity she likes. And if she does write a book, she'll probably get a publishing deal based on her name alone. But she's not convinced me yet that she's got anything to say.

@ThatBlackCat Watson has been a goodwill ambassador for UN Women since 2014. And still is, despite the controversies. Prior to her appointment she was said to be involved in promoting women’s education and had visited Bangladesh and Zambia, though what this actually involved is hard to know. Pre-Harry Meghan Markle managed to get herself assigned an “advocate” role for women in UN organisation but allegedly left in a hissy fit when they would not then promote her to “ambassador”.

JKR’s response below (copied from Nitter)

J.K. Rowling@jk_rowling11m
I'm seeing quite a bit of comment about this, so I want to make a couple of points.

I'm not owed eternal agreement from any actor who once played a character I created. The idea is as ludicrous as me checking with the boss I had when I was twenty-one for what opinions I should hold these days.

Emma Watson and her co-stars have every right to embrace gender identity ideology. Such beliefs are legally protected, and I wouldn't want to see any of them threatened with loss of work, or violence, or death, because of them.

However, Emma and Dan in particular have both made it clear over the last few years that they think our former professional association gives them a particular right - nay, obligation - to critique me and my views in public. Years after they finished acting in Potter, they continue to assume the role of de facto spokespeople for the world I created.

When you've known people since they were ten years old it's hard to shake a certain protectiveness. Until quite recently, I hadn't managed to throw off the memory of children who needed to be gently coaxed through their dialogue in a big scary film studio. For the past few years, I've repeatedly declined invitations from journalists to comment on Emma specifically, most notably on the Witch Trials of JK Rowling. Ironically, I told the producers that I didn't want her to be hounded as the result of anything I said.

The television presenter in the attached clip highlights Emma's 'all witches' speech, and in truth, that was a turning point for me, but it had a postscript that hurt far more than the speech itself. Emma asked someone to pass on a handwritten note from her to me, which contained the single sentence 'I'm so sorry for what you're going through' (she has my phone number). This was back when the death, rape and torture threats against me were at their peak, at a time when my personal security measures had had to be tightened considerably and I was constantly worried for my family's safety. Emma had just publicly poured more petrol on the flames, yet thought a one line expression of concern from her would reassure me of her fundamental sympathy and kindness.

Like other people who've never experienced adult life uncushioned by wealth and fame, Emma has so little experience of real life she's ignorant of how ignorant she is. She'll never need a homeless shelter. She's never going to be placed on a mixed sex public hospital ward. I'd be astounded if she's been in a high street changing room since childhood. Her 'public bathroom' is single occupancy and comes with a security man standing guard outside the door. Has she had to strip off in a newly mixed-sex changing room at a council-run swimming pool? Is she ever likely to need a state-run rape crisis centre that refuses to guarantee an all-female service? To find herself sharing a prison cell with a male rapist who's identified into the women's prison?

I wasn't a multimillionaire at fourteen. I lived in poverty while writing the book that made Emma famous. I therefore understand from my own life experience what the trashing of women's rights in which Emma has so enthusiastically participated means to women and girls without her privileges.

The greatest irony here is that, had Emma not decided in her most recent interview to declare that she loves and treasures me - a change of tack I suspect she's adopted because she's noticed full-throated condemnation of me is no longer quite as fashionable as it was - I might never have been this honest.

Adults can't expect to cosy up to an activist movement that regularly calls for a friend's assassination, then assert their right to the former friend's love, as though the friend was in fact their mother. Emma is rightly free to disagree with me and indeed to discuss her feelings about me in public - but I have the same right, and I've finally decided to exercise it.

You come for the Queen, you best not miss.

Watson, Radcliffe and the other midwit cowards should hang their heads in shame.

Wow.

Marginally better than the UN appointing Munroe Bergdorf as a champion for women.

I believe it’s something called a ‘Master of Studies’ in creative writing, which all sounds a bit Viz Comic.

JKR just gave her a free masterclass in writing a factual piece imbued with emotion.

This is so powerful and honest. Thank you for sharing. JKR is and always has been so measured in her argument. Well done to her.