The New York Times has a great opinion piece on the wrongful demonization of JK Rowling. Her crime? Standing up for the rights of women.
“This campaign against Rowling is as dangerous as it is absurd. The brutal stabbing of Salman Rushdie last summer is a forceful reminder of what can happen when writers are demonized. And in Rowling’s case, the characterization of her as a transphobe doesn’t square with her actual views.So why would anyone accuse her of transphobia? Surely, Rowling must have played some part, you might think.The answer is straightforward: Because she has asserted the right to spaces for biological women only, such as domestic abuse shelters and sex-segregated prisons. Because she has insisted that when it comes to determining a person’s legal gender status, self-declared gender identity is insufficient. Because she has expressed skepticism about phrases like “people who menstruate” in reference to biological women. Because she has defended herself and, far more important, supported others, including detransitioners and feminist scholars, who have come under attack from trans activists. And because she followed on Twitter and praised some of the work of Magdalen Berns, a lesbian feminist who had made incendiary comments about transgender people.
You might disagree — perhaps strongly — with Rowling’s views and actions here. You may believe that the prevalence of violence against transgender people means that airing any views contrary to those of vocal trans activists will aggravate animus toward a vulnerable population.But nothing Rowling has said qualifies as transphobic. She is not disputing the existence of gender dysphoria. She has never voiced opposition to allowing people to transition under evidence-based therapeutic and medical care. She is not denying transgender people equal pay or housing. There is no evidence that she is putting trans people “in danger,” as has been claimed, nor is she denying their right to exist.Take it from one of her former critics. E.J. Rosetta, a journalist who once denounced Rowling for her supposed transphobia, was commissioned last year to write an article called “20 Transphobic J.K. Rowling Quotes We’re Done With.” After 12 weeks of reporting and reading, Rosetta wrote, “I’ve not found a single truly transphobic message.” On Twitter she declared, “You’re burning the wrong witch.”
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February 21, 2023 at 9:15 am
makagutu
This issue around JR is bordering on the absurd, if not already absurd. It is like 1984 has been actualized.
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February 21, 2023 at 10:39 am
Steve Ruis
Re “Because she has insisted that when it comes to determining a person’s legal gender status, self-declared gender identity is insufficient.”
Again, this is loose language. There is no “legal gender status.” Sexual status, yes. Men, women, boys, girls, all have legal definitions involving sex, but not gender. People who are too genteel to use the word sex, substitute gender and that is incorrect.
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February 21, 2023 at 12:43 pm
bleatmop
I’ve heard a lot about how terrible JK is but I’ve yet to see any evidence that she’s terrible. But like all these cult like things, be it Qanon or flat earthers, repeat a lie enough times and it will be perceived as truth.
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February 22, 2023 at 6:12 pm
Infidel753
It really doesn’t matter any more whether Rowling is objectively “transphobic” or not. Big Brother is always right. They’ve set her up as the Queen Transphobe, the Emmanuel Goldstein for their Two Minutes Hate, and once that’s done it can’t be undone, because undoing it would mean admitting error. Once the charge of witchcraft is made, only one verdict is possible, and there is no appeal.
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February 23, 2023 at 2:54 pm
Estelle Kölner (Navigating by Shadow)
Here is what I know from years of engagement with this madness:
“You may believe that the prevalence of violence against transgender people means that airing any views contrary to those of vocal trans activists will aggravate animus toward a vulnerable population.”
Evidence indicating disproportionate violence towards “trans persons” does not exist (the majority of reported violence towards “trans persons” involves prostitution, which by definition is at high risk for violence).
“There is no evidence that she is putting trans people ‘in danger,’ as has been claimed, nor is she denying their right to exist.”
Correct. But “trans activism” considers all criticism, however mild, well-informed, or evidence-based, to be an existential threat.
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