The 54-year-old Harry Potter author, JK Rowling has provoked netizens outrage as she tweeted her opinions on gender and sex.
Rowling shared her reaction to an article on Twitter titled “Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate”, and wrote, “People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”.
‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?
Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate https://t.co/cVpZxG7gaA
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020
Her comment provoked a great deal of criticism. Netizens immediately called Rowling’s comments “anti-trans” and “transphobic”. Rowling followed that tweet up by criticizing the idea that someone’s biological sense isn’t real.
She further wrote, “If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.”
If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020
Moreover, by responding to the author’s comments, the LGBTQ rights organization GLAAD wrote, “JK Rowling continues to align herself with an ideology which willfully distorts facts about gender identity and people who are trans. In 2020, there is no excuse for targeting trans people”.
JK Rowling continues to align herself with an ideology which willfully distorts facts about gender identity and people who are trans. In 2020, there is no excuse for targeting trans people.
— GLAAD (@glaad) June 7, 2020
JK Rowling has faced a major backlash due to her anti-trans comments. Many Harry Potter fans decided to boycott her and donate to Black Transwomen fund or any organisation that supports the LGBTQ community.
Dear JK Rowling,
U just defined “Sex” as the experience one has by their reality. Therefore, how do U not understand #Trans people are saying that’s EXACTLY How they also Define their “Sex” / “gender- identity”. It’s not for you or anyone else to define someone else’s experience https://t.co/TVW5EP7Pk8
— DanielNewmaη 404-737-1636 (@DanielNewman) June 7, 2020
a lot of LGBT kids grew up with Harry Potter as their escape from the real world, JK Rowling pandered to us. what she said is gross and invalidating to so many of the fans, and i want to just wanna say thank u @MsSarahPaulson for being our lgbt mom who stands for up everyone. https://t.co/Gu2PrAlWIg
— elijah daniel (@elijahdaniel) June 7, 2020
This is less TERF logic than some very fuzzy thinking:
Trans exists because sex exists and needs to be, well, trans-ed by some people. You are cis-gender, the same gender as the sex you were born with. So no, nobody is taking it away from you.— Karuna Nundy (@karunanundy) June 7, 2020
“I know and love black people, but…”
“I know and love Jewish people, but…”
“I know and love Latino people, but…”
“I know and love Muslim people, but…”
“I know and love gay people, but…”
These are sentences that pretty much NEVER end well. Yours is no exception. pic.twitter.com/y7hYrAS8II
— Neugier (@BrainTrash) June 6, 2020
You’re a great writer. This is a good time for you to become a great reader.
— Patrick Thornton (@pwthornton) June 6, 2020
Ah yes, because people always wait to look at someone’s chromosomes before they do a sexism
— Rational Disconnect (@RationalDis) June 7, 2020
Rowling has earlier drawn suspicion that she is a “Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist,” or TERF(someone who denies that trans people are anything other than their birth sex) through her tweets.
Dress however you please.
Call yourself whatever you like.
Sleep with any consenting adult who’ll have you.
Live your best life in peace and security.
But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real? #IStandWithMaya #ThisIsNotADrill— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) December 19, 2019
Recently, the author has announced the release of her next book The Ickabog. The first two chapters are available to read now online, and although there’s no description of what the story entails, The Ickabog seems to have more in common with traditional fairy tales.
