J.K. Rowling Blasted for Latest Anti-Trans Tweets

JK Rowling has decided now is the right time, at the beginning of Pride Month, to voice her opinion on transgender people.

The Harry Potter author took to social media on Saturday evening with a series of tweets on sex and gender in relation to trans people:

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

The idea that women like me, who’ve been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because they’re vulnerable in the same way as women – ie, to male violence – ‘hate’ trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences – is a nonsense.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020

I respect every trans person’s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them. 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.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020

The remarks immediately drew criticism from trans people and allies alike, with many calling them “offensive”:

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) condemned the feminist author’s tweet.

“The vast consensus of medical and other scientific experts validate trans people and urge affirmation of us,” tweeted HRC’s Charlotte Clymer. “Your own country’s medical organizations have said as much. You don’t love trans people, and you certainly don’t care about us.”

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

Others weighed in as well.

If you, like me, feel like JK Rowling is being pure Voldemort & you want to expelliarmus her v bad energy, how about donating to one of these awesome orgs supporting black trans people, a community that is disproportionately at risk of violence and murder https://t.co/L5oXrCBt6h
— Mae Martin (@TheMaeMartin) June 6, 2020

https://twitter.com/MamoudouNDiaye/status/1269396213880754176

It really hurts to have to block JK Rowling. For a woman who once had such vision, she is incredibly shortsighted. Professor Trelawney would describe her mind as “hopelessly mundane”. The trans community deserves better. Much better.
— Ben Yahr (@benyahr) June 6, 2020

Hey, so to be clear: fuck JK Rowling, who decides to use her platform to harass trans people at a time when the world is already extremely traumatizing for multiple reasons, and during Pride. 🗣 Fuck! JK!! Rowling!!!
— Alyssa “mostly updates” Cole (@AlyssaColeLit) June 6, 2020

Rowling kept sticking to her guns in a second round of tweets in which she shared a series of articles – one from a “terrified” lesbian woman afraid to speak out against trans women, as well as an article that references “people who menstruate”:

"I've never felt as shouted down, ignored, and targeted as a lesbian *within* our supposed GLBT community as I have over the past couple of years." https://t.co/9tmEEydPIr
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020

‘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

Obviously and rightfully so, this series of tweets, pissed people off even more so.

Your daily remember that JK Rowling is a transphobic trashcan. https://t.co/yoZvF4uPel
— Adam Ellis (@adamtotscomix) June 6, 2020

the middle of the biggest viral epidemic and one of the biggest movements for Black civil rights and JK Rowling is using her platform to be transphobic on main. she could really use her immense wealth and power to help people but… no… shes gonna use it to be a bigot
— 🖤🤍 (@rorschachisgay) June 6, 2020

https://twitter.com/emamma_mia/status/1269400307940970501

In December, Rowling faced backlash for supporting a researcher who claimed biological sex can’t be changed.