Stephen King's response to Rowling on sex and gender discussions

[ThisWildDreamer]

Stephen King was asked a simple question - are trans women women? - and when he said yes, one of the most wealthy writers in the world turned on him.

J.K. Rowling had just publicly showered him with praise. Within hours of his answer, she deleted it and, in King's words, "sorta blocked" him.

King is one of the most famous novelists alive, and he didn't walk it back or cast himself as the victim. He said plainly that nobody had cancelled Rowling - he just thought she was wrong. He turns 79 today, still saying it.

He could have kept the friend and stayed quiet. He said yes instead.

Source (including for their being friends, thank you mate, Stephen Fry's tried it already) or it didn't happen.

How does this affect you @ThisWildDreamer ?

I'm not a fan of his books (can't abide horror) but good for him for sticking to his guns. One of JK Rowling's more embarrassing actions deleting his praise. Clearly she has a problem with separating the art from the artist.

Woke 1 was crazy!

And you can be a terrific writer (actor / cook/ you name it) and wrong about a lot of stuff, by the way, I can name two dozens off the top of my head. It's usually the TRA who claim that JK cannot write and has spoiled their lovely memories of HP (which doesn't add up, but they are well beyond that at this stage).

Hes not the first and wont be the last. What's your point?

These types of post always strike me as “sorta desperate”

This unsourced X/You Tube style AI-assisted crap is so tedious.

So many people have turned on JKR, I can't really find much to get uptight about in her returning the favour now and then.
What he said wasn't pro trans it was anti woman and anti truth.

Its a very loaded question given how bought the literary sector is.

This, at least she hasn’t accused him of literally killing GC people with his misguided beliefs

Oh lord that was fucking years ago

god you ppl are tedious

he's a coward

men are still not women

HTH

He could have kept the friend and stayed quiet. He said yes instead.

He could have told the truth. He spoke a lie instead.

He could have been brave. He was a coward instead.

He could have supported women’s rights. He put his book sales first instead.

Humans can’t change sex.

Transwomen are men. She called him out on a lie. She was 100% right to do so.

She didn't call him out on anything. She deleted recent praise that she'd heaped on him - all because he disagrees with her.

From 2020. Google has this to say:

• Despite the disagreement, King has defended Rowling's right to her opinions while maintaining his own stance, noting she holds progressive views on other political topics.
• In late 2023, King publicly praised The Independent Rowling's Cormoran Strike novel The Running Grave, stating it rivals the readability of Harry Potter.
• In July 2024, the two had a brief, lighthearted mathematical exchange on X after Rowling posted she was at the "square root of not giving a f*," to which King replied "not giving a fuck squared".

And trans women are still men.

Tedious sums it up perfectly. Why hang about a board you have so much disdain for? There are fantasy forums available.

My username will tell you how much I love Stephen King (if you are actually a fan)

And he is still wrong on this issue.

And what’s the issue with that? It’s a SM account, not a court of law. He reveals who he really is and she withdraws her support. What’s the problem?

Horror is not really my thing, I’ve never read a SK novel. 🤷‍♀️

‘GC cult’ 😂. It’s like coining a funny name to call people who are aware the earth is round.

You'll have to ask the people outraged at others withdrawing support from JK to answer that one.

Fuck me, is it 2020 again? I’m not doing another lockdown.

Off topic, but it's not all horror!

I love all of his work which is not in the horror genre.

He is still wrong on the trans issue.

I’d be embarrassed too if one of my mates or someone I’d heaped praise on on social media started spouting that men cosplaying as women are actually women.