Harry Potter creator JK Rowling is facing criticism over comments she made following the recent ruling against Maya Forstater, who lost her job after posting tweets suggesting people can not change sex.
Earlier this year, the think tank where Forstater worked made the decision not to renew her contract, after she was accused of using “offensive and exclusionary” language in a number of tweets relating to proposed changes to the Gender Recognition Act, which would allow self-identification.
On Thursday, a judge upheld the decision, deeming her views to be “absolutist”
In response to the decision, Rowling wrote: “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?”She also added the hashtags “#IStandWithMaya” and “ThisIsNotADrill”. 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, 2019Since Rowling posted the tweets, she’s faced criticism from many who suggested that her comments have gone against the inclusive messages of her own work, while others have branded her a TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist)...Harry Potter and the prisoner of reductive gender politics that will harm us all but sure go awff https://t.co/fRXMOPm9HZ— Travis (@travisalabanza) December 19, 2019For the trans community, this is another reminder that we absolutely cannot ever have heroes.— Katelyn Burns (@transscribe) December 19, 2019I hope you’re aware how much your rampant TERFness disappoints and betrays a percentage of your audience ☹️— Olly (@ollywldrn) December 19, 2019how do u live ur best life in peace and security if there are other people constantly debating ur right to exist, sneering at ur struggles and smearing u as a pedo or a rapist based on nothing but the fact ur gender identity is not ~the norm? just say ur a terf and go https://t.co/LmLS4DG06C— G (@oneofthosefaces) December 19, 2019Can't wait for 'Harry Potter and the Forgetting the Entire Message of His Own Book Series Because I Guess He's Treading on Oppressed Folk Now' in 2021.— Ryan Brown 🎮❤️ (@Toadsanime) December 19, 2019I grew up as a trans child reading your books as an escape. I would often pick out names from characters to give to myself, before I ever felt comfortable in who I was. This decision, to support people that hate me, and want to do me harm. It brings me to tears... Why. Why?— Noel is entering peak holiday spirit (@notafootstool) December 19, 2019When I was little, my dream was to one day ask you how people like me would have been accomodated for in hogwarts..I'm afraid that my dreams might have been crushed if I ever got that chance.— Noel is entering peak holiday spirit (@notafootstool) December 19, 2019Well, this is heartbreaking to see from one of the world’s most beloved authors. Rowling has liked a few TERFy tweets before, so I’m not entirely surprised. But also gutted for all the trans kids, including mine, who love her work. https://t.co/Q3UbYHQGFm— Amanda Jetté Knox (@MavenOfMayhem) December 19, 2019My daughter, who is trans, is a big fan of yours. It breaks my heart to see you post something indicating that discrimination against her is perfectly fine behaviour for an employee.The world’s most credible medical orgs affirm trans people. Please catch up.— Amanda Jetté Knox (@MavenOfMayhem) December 19, 2019Maya Forstater did not lose her job because she campaigned against the GRA. She did not lose her job because she believed in biological sex.She lost her job because of her refusal to recognise the legal rights of people who had transitioned. https://t.co/artfU2psMSpic.twitter.com/HkLw7IZYBH— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) December 19, 2019And she confirms what we all already knew. JK Rowling is a TERF https://t.co/DmhSNHsz4a— Emma Wolfe🏳️⚧️🌹 End the Tories by any means (@hasrock36) December 19, 2019Imagine being richer than the queen, J.K. Rowling, and still feeling you need to tell the world you’re a TERF.— Alex Naser-Hall (@anaserhall) December 19, 2019Wow, JK has finally gone full TERF. That’s honestly and sincerely heartbreaking. https://t.co/LAkQgAWGFC— The Muppet
Christmas Carl (@TVsCarlKinsella) December 19, 2019This hurt to read. The implications of your statement are huge for the trans community. Hogwarts was a shelter for us weirdos and oddballs but it seems we are no longer welcome.— ❄️Sasquatch Cowbell❄️ (@sacha_coward) December 19, 2019If trans people could live their best life in peace and security we wouldn’t be having this conversation. https://t.co/8QqIWGHKnC— Chris Godfrey (@ChrisPJGodfrey) December 19, 2019Last year, the author made headlines when fans spotted that she’d liked a tweet containing slurs against transgender women, referring to them as “men in dresses”.
After the matter was brought to her attention by the media outlet Pink News, Rowling’s rep issued a statement putting the matter down to a“clumsy” and “middle-aged” mistake.
They said: “I’m afraid J.K. Rowling had a clumsy and middle-aged moment and this is not the first time she has favourited by holding her phone incorrectly.”READ MORE... JK Rowling Defends Casting Of South Korean
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