Harry Potter creator and prolific children’s author J.K. Rowling has prompted backlash from fans after posting a series of transphobic opinions to social media.
Targeting an article entitled Creating a More Equal Post-COVID-19 World for People Who Menstruate, published on Devex.com, Rowling conflates sex with expressions of gender.
“‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people,” Rowling tweeted to her 14.5 million followers.
“Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”
So, @jk_rowling, I just have one question…
What do you call people who menstruate and identify as male? Someone help me out. Meen? Mamn? Mems?
Sometimes, you need to think about the situation some people are in. #TransMenAreMen #PrideMonth https://t.co/DzSn8GrVO5
— 🌸ComicC🌸 (@ComicC94) June 7, 2020
Responding to backlash from fans, pointing out that people of many gender identites can menstruate, Rowling doubled down in an attempt to show support.
“If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction,” Rowling continued.
“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 removed the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.”
“I respect every trans person’s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them.”
Really sick of one of the richest and most influential white women in the world being lauded as some great crusader and truthteller for hating on one of the most marginalized groups of people
— Mara “Get Rid of the Nazis” Wilson (@MaraWilson) June 6, 2020
“I’d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans. At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe it’s hateful to say so.”
Rowling has a history of anti-transgender opinions in her Twitter feed. In December 2019, Rowling took to social media to defend British researcher Maya Forstater, who lost her job at the Centre for Global Development for tweeting that “men cannot change into women.”
LGBTIQ+ advocates have condemned the tweets from Rowling, sharing an opinion piece from trans man and Harry Potter superfan Jackson Bird, directing LGBTIQ+ allies to black, transgender support organisations.
We stand with trans youth, especially those Harry Potter fans hurt by her inaccurate and cruel tweets. Our friend @jackisnotabird says it best. https://t.co/jLkchof3rn
— GLAAD (@glaad) June 7, 2020
OIP Staff
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