JK Rowling has once again sparked fury online for her comments on trans rights, after she responded to a report that Police Scotland was recording the gender of rape suspects based on their gender identity.
The force said it would log crimes as having been carried out by a woman if the accused person wishes to be identified as one - regardless of whether they have legally changed gender.
Commenting on a story published by The Times, the author – known for penning the Harry Potter and Strike novels – referenced and updated line from the dystopian novel 1984 by George Orwell.
“War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength. The penised individual who raped you is a woman.”
It isn’t the first time that Rowling has come under fire for her stance on the matter. She previously expressed support online for researcher Maya Forstater – who lost her job at a think tank for “offensive and exclusionary” language – and criticised the use of the phrase ‘people who menstruate’.
“I’m sure there used to be a word for these people. Someone help me out,” the author tweeted in June 2020.
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“Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud.”
Weeks later, activist Kenny Ethan Jones responded to the post and said: “Not all women menstruate, and not all people who menstruate are women.”
Can we stop ignoring the fact that sex, like gender, is a spectrum. Stop invaliding people based on bodily parts and functions.
— Kenny Ethan Jones (@kennyethanjones) June 7, 2020
Not all women menstruate, and not all people who menstruate are women.
FACTS.
In 2018, an article for Refinery29 explained that women don’t experience periods “for many different reasons”.
“Some may undergo early menopause, some have had hysterectomies for medical issues. Some may be transgender, some suffering from eating disorders.
“The reasons women don’t have periods can be complicated and diverse, but don’t take away from one central fact: period or no period, if you identify as a woman, you are a woman,” writers Jess Commons and Bex Day said.
Stars of the Harry Potter films such as Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson have come out in support of trans people in the wake of the writer’s remarks.
Ms Rowling’s latest comments, along with the Times article she referenced, have since been condemned by trans people and allies:
My abuser was a sax player from Texas. And yes, PTSD can leave victims with triggers and associations beyond our control. But to dedicate my life to calling for a crusade against all sax players or all Texans is completely absurd, illogical, and cruel.
— Schizophr3nica🎧 (@Schizophr3nica) December 13, 2021
Great knowing the author of my childhood obsession hates my existance.... Wish i could get that time back to have invested in more inclusive authors seeing as your work was honestly just nostalgia shadowed bigotry
— Exi 🎃🦇💀 (@just_a_tree) December 13, 2021
Seems kind of normal to me. Then again I’m not in the habit of misgendering people, no matter how horrible they are.
— Sanjay Roy (@PDArebellion) December 13, 2021
Thank you yet again Joanne for reminding me to donate to @Genderintell xx pic.twitter.com/XHiT1llxb1
— Helen Gradwell (@HelenGradwell) December 13, 2021
Love is peace.
— Daniel Lismore (@daniellismore) December 13, 2021
Freedom is acceptance.
Understanding is strength.
Trans women are not a danger to society. J.K Rowling loves to fuel hate towards a whole group of innocent beautiful people.
You are boycotted from this book loving household for... and I can't stress this enough... forever.
— made you look 🏳️🌈✨💖 (@Luzianaha) December 13, 2021
Cw rape
— nat “cops break laws to terrorize/intimidate” puff (@LeftAtLondon) December 13, 2021
-the Scottish police say ‘gender [ID] of individuals who come into contact with the police will be based on how they (…) self-declare’
-the article says this would hypothetically include rapists
-therefore, trans women are rapists…???? https://t.co/TLOSZ8JK0a
She's literally tweeting this from a castle https://t.co/4pvW6ffDmP
— The Serfs (@theserfstv) December 13, 2021
J.K. Rowling's new, uh, truth bomb is that women can't be rapists or sexual assailants. How surprising. I really do hope she finds peace in this lifetime and leaves trans people alone to find our sense of peace, too. https://t.co/rnlCWXSXf4
— Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈 (@cmclymer) December 13, 2021
But the author has also received support for her comments, including from controversial conservative commentator Ben Shapiro and Labour MP Rosie Duffield, whose “transphobic”remarks led to two of her staffers quitting their jobs last year:
Call me and my sisters what you want, sideline me all you like, I still won't be silent when things like this happen to women. Thank you as always @jk_rowling 💜 https://t.co/pkCZtpC1Q6
— Rosie Duffield MP 🦕💜🦖 (@RosieDuffield1) December 12, 2021
JK Rowling is strong, empowered, and standing up for women's rights.
— Lauren Chen (@TheLaurenChen) December 12, 2021
And the woke hate her for it. https://t.co/FhmTpnIAaJ
Good for her. https://t.co/XXbW92mC3W
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) December 13, 2021
Gloves are coming off. https://t.co/qCCWGNmW2a
— frances Barber (@francesbarber13) December 12, 2021
Truth. https://t.co/wrjLiySTqS
— suzanne moore (@suzanne_moore) December 12, 2021
“As a lawyer for 20 years and justice secretary for almost eight, I’ve seen some legal absurdities. But this tops it all and is dangerous”- @KennyMacAskill. Yes indeed, it is. Thank you for highlighting and respect to @jk_rowling for standing up for women. #WomenWontWheesht https://t.co/hnfBkWpJDI
— Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh (@TasminaSheikh) December 12, 2021
Ms Rowling is yet to respond to the latest backlash.
