Can't believe I'm writing this, but disappointed in JK today

[RobynMiller]

I know she is just one person but her tweets today are really undermining the whole GC argument.

Link: https://x.com/jk_rowling/status/2046948644373274709

'Nothing's changed. I was being honest about how I feel about an individual trans woman I know, who was a gay man pre-transition, and who I met for the first time post-transition. Objectively speaking, she has physical characteristics that make it fairly obvious she wasn't born female, but she's a gentle, funny person I've never referred to as anything other than 'she' and 'her'. I find it perfectly easy to reconcile my fond feelings towards her, and my experience of her as someone with very female-coded energy, with a belief that she hasn't literally changed sex (and incidentally, she doesn't believe she's literally changed sex, either).'

Basically, someone asked her about the trans identified male she mentioned in her 2020 essay and this was her response.

Does she not realise there can be NO EXCEPTIONS? Give an inch they'll take a mile and all that. It doesn't matter that he is gentle and funny or that he has very female-coded energy whatever the hell that means.

This does make it seem like when she calls TIMs out she is now doing it maliciously as she is perfectly happy to play pretend if she likes them enough.

Just so frustrating as it basically says that 'we could all play along with TRAs just fine and are choosing not to because we're such meanies 😡'

No she didn’t. She made a different comment about them being unemployable- responding to a TRA indignant rant about how they basically ran an employer round in circles over compliance issues.

Exactly! Things like this will only allow gender ideology to coming roaring back the second we let our guard down. How do people on this thread not see that the war isn't won and to make these concessions now is a trap.

I’d find it impossible to have any less respect for J.K. than I already do.

I have no issue if I had a friend who was trans, wanted to be she and called female.

However I can still disagree with biological men in women’s changing rooms / toilets / sports.

For me these aren’t quite the same.

Totally agree. Unfortunate phrase, imo. But entirely up to her to use it if she wants to. It will be interesting seeing her defend against all the flak that’s coming her way as we speak 🤣
Meanwhile, her charities continue to do sterling work for women and children, regardless.

Realistically, I think there's always likely to be a degree of pussyfooting around the feelings of family members and friends, with some people feeling that pronouns is a tactful concession in those cases, while others draw the line at pretending at all, for anyone.

Where there should be no concession is in regard to compelled speech and emotional blackmail. "Preferred pronouns" should not have any official status (or any "unofficially official" status). No sanctions by employers or anyone else, let alone the law of the land. No treating people more favourably if they do the pronoun thing. No oh-what-a-bigot-you-are moral posturing if they don't.

I also think it's very important to use sex-based pronouns correctly in news stories, and in any discussions of issues like sport and single-sex spaces, because all the "she only wants..." really does a number on people.

I’m not disappointed in her at all, she’s merely described her own personal experience while simultaneously reiterating the importance of single sex spaces. Amazing woman.

Sounds like some of you are so angry about the issue you've forgotten that trans people are people and hence deserving of basic respect, as are we all.

And actually braver to recognise that there is dissonance, mud and complexity. It’s much easier to be categorical and hardline, than to work with, in and around nuance.

They are people, and JK's friend is a person, a male person, AKA a MAN. And in English, the words we use to describe men in the 3rd person are He and Him.

Bit dramatic @RobynMiller. You didn't write the rulebook. JKR can feel whatever way she wants. As can everyone else.

Genuinely starting to think OP is a TRA who has come on here to ragebait us and is failing. Either that or they are very young.

I don't get what's disappointing? JK is describing a friendship and illustrating that we can care for and enjoy the company of all sorts of people, being courteous and respectful along the way. I have a close trans relative

You lost me at "...there can be no exceptions!" -to me, a dyed in the wool biological essentialist- it's not about whether someone 'cherry picks'. The truth of biology is unimpinged irrespective of the pronouns we use to address one another.

I think "female coded energy" is a stupid phrase. But we all say silly things from time to time.

But other than that i think we should be allowed to use the pronouns we wasn't for someone. So if you chose to call your TW friend she/ her then cool. But if you choose not to then that's also OK IMO.

I've got a TW friend, Sarah. Sarah has said things like "when I was a little boy" and only ever refers to themselves as a TW, never a woman. Someone else I know, who doesn't know Sarah and is a full on TRA has told me it's disgusting that I refer to Sarah as a TW, that it's incorrect to say Sarah was a little boy and that Sarah is a woman and always has been. Interesting that Sarah would disagree! If someone refers to Sarah as a man/he/him then they respond politely.

I'm sure she'd be devastated to know she's disappointed you. 😉

"Does she not realise there can be NO EXCEPTIONS?

Sorry, but who passed a law to say all gender-critical/sex realist people have to think and behave exactly the same? We are not a hive mind. We are many, many individuals at different stages of working out what we think and believe on this issue and trying to apply it to our own lives and situations. JKR has spoken out and continues to do so, while also using her wealth to better the lives of women and children. You have no right to demand she or anyone else behaves exactly as you do.

Or I just don't want all these hard won battles over the last 6 years sliding back because some of you are fine with 'The Good Ones'.

This all started with letting 'The Good Ones'. Oh what's the harm? She's just a sad gay man, she's harmless. Basically one of the gals.

It is about the truth and integrity. Or is this suddenly a board where gender woo is real and Be Kind is in full force?

It is imperative that:

• men are recognised as and treated as men in law and policy, to protect women and children;
• news reports, public records, and public officials at work use correctly sexed pronouns, because the public have the right to know that convicted sex offender "Marie Dean" is a man;
• people are not compelled to use incorrectly sexed pronouns at work or to access public services.

How friends refer to each other is a private matter, so henceup to them. There's no public interest, safeguarding, or human rights infringement when JKR refers to a male friend as "she". It's not a choice I'd make, but I'm not going to condemn her for making it.

Purity spirals are for those who face no real challenges
I CBA with them

If you’re disappointed in her you haven’t been paying attention. This has always been her position.

I'm sure she'd be devastated to know she's disappointed you. 😉

Well that's a nonsense isn't it because we all have opinions about lots of important people who wouldn't care what we individually think. JKR has published this comment on twitter for us to read, so she does want people to read it and form an opinion about it.

Finally found her tweet: https://x.com/ThePosieParker/status/2046938476428370267

''Of course men larping as women should be refused employment. Who wants to work with them? Who wants to be a customer wherever they work?"

It's not a reply to any other tweet. Just a call that trans identified men shouldn't be employed.

I'm gender critical and I have no problem with this. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I can't even take such a simplistic view seriously.

OP how often do you actually interact or deal with the general public, never mind trans people?

In real life, a position like this just isn't realistic.

'My friend's daughter, Chloe is lovely. She is really great with children. She's looking for a babysitting job. Do you want her number?'

(I mean, I know Chloe is really a lad, but I like her and I think respecting pronouns is kind.)

No reason why we need to be clear about language, eh? As long as I like the person it's all grand, right? At what point would the truth being revealed be ok to you?

It was perfectly realistic 30+ years ago.