J. K. Rowling

[jewelkitty]

For god's sake that's not what she saying, stop twisting things. She was saying people who menstruate are women, not that all women menstruate.
Implying you can't be a man if you menstruate/men can't menstruate.

 

[Vanillaco]

There have always been trans people. The aggressive trans activists and their Twitter lynchmobs are a new particularly nasty new development. Most violence against anyone, male/ female/ trans is committed by men. Yet the trans activists will always attack women. Why dont they highlight the actual physical violence against trans and gay people by men instead of attacking women? Why are they not asking for their own spaces? Single cubicle toilets and changing rooms or trans rape crisis centres and refuges? Why do they try to shut down women's concerns? Why don't they demand men are called prostate havens or sperm producers? Do trans men not get offended? I'm glad I have sons because I would hate my daughter grow up in such a misogynistic world.

 

[Lanavalentine]

This is my genuine answer, but I have to ask questions too: what are the private spaces you mention? Public restrooms? How would you know if a another woman you meet there has a penis or not? You check everyone's private parts in a restroom??? Why?? Please refer to the statistics you refer to when it comes to crimes by biological males wrongly attributed to women. While at it, please look up the numbers of trans women murdered in the past year and the suicide rates among transgender teens. You're actively contributing to those numbers with your "concern" over somebody else's body and identity that is none of your freaking business. How many kids have been forced by their parents to go through transition? All of your concerns and hate is SO wrong, I can't believe you're celebrating and high-fiving yourself over being able to be hateful. You're not fighting a righteous fight here. You're simply spreading false information based on hearsay and VERY questionable numbers from questionable sources (I have seen them, I know which ones you all always quote).

I’m very sorry but it’s you that’s spreading false information. All the claims you just made in this post are based on either falsified or misappropriated stats.

In the UK, transpeople are safer from murder than the average person: https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/factcheck-how-many-trans-people-murdered-uk

The US does have a problem with Black transwomen working as prostitutes who are murdered, but I’m fairly sure they are not murdered at a higher rate than Black female prosititutes, so it’s their race and lack of safety in their job which is the problem.

We don’t know how many kids are being forced to transition, but we do know that there have been whistleblowers at the Tavistock regarding safeguarding and homophobic parents who push for transition over accepting their child as gay. I’m sure you’ve read and seen all recent press on this.

We also know the NHS has quietly changed their advice and guidance on transgender children as medical issues with puberty blockers come to light. Lots of information on that out there.

I think stats about suicide go either way, but I know I have seen studies that suggest transition doesn’t slow the rate of suicide, so perhaps it’s not the answer for those with gender dysphoria.

I’m sure you realise women’s safe spaces are more than just public loos - prisons, shelters, rape victim support groups, female-only hospital wards are all places where vulnerable women exist and shouldn’t be forced to share with people who possess a penis. I’m sure you have heard about Karen White, the transgender prisoner who retained full male genitalia (as most do - genitial reassignment surgery is a bit of a con given how many people have major problems afterwards), went to a female prison and raped fellow inmates.

I’m sure you’ll tell me that’s just one example but there’s plenty.

Please maybe have a look beyond what is spread on Twitter at actual news sources of all kinds. Maybe listen to the women who don’t feel as comfortable as you at sharing spaces with people who have penises.

It’s not about hate at all, it’s about protecting women’s hard-earned rights.

Oh and I totally forgot about the fact that the proposed changes to the GRA that thankfully the Tories have quietly dropped would have meant any man could just call himself a woman and access all women’s spaces. So a predator could just say “but I’m a woman” and the concerned women couldn’t get the security guard to chuck him out of the ladies until he’d actually committed a crime, like voyerurism or sexual assault or rape. Call me crazy but I’d rather not make it easier for male predators to access women and I’d rather be able to chuck them out of the space before they actually commit a crime!

 

[jewelkitty]

Whatever happened to the simple times of ‘your fave is problematic’?

Regardless of what anyone thinks of her opinions, I don’t see the value in claiming she isn’t the author whether stated jokingly or not. Of course it’s upsetting when someone whose art you enjoy and who you consequently look up to has a wildly different opinion to your own. Even more so when you perceive that opinion as an attack on yourself or those you care about. But at the end of the day, she wrote the books, you enjoyed them, people are multifaceted and you can separate liking art from liking/agreeing with a person

Personally, I like mostly 20th century literature. When I learned of certain writers being overtly sexist and/or racist, I did find it off putting as a woman of colour. But I learned to accept that liking their work didn’t mean I had to like their opinions. If these writers were modern and alive like JK Rowling, I might decide not to fund them which would be fair enough. There’s nothing wrong with voting with your wallet. However, declaring them no longer the author because you don’t agree with them is petty and pointless

I know ‘your fave is problematic’ became a meme but there’s value in the concept. Someone can produce amazing work yet be flawed. They (or their work) can still be your fave, but it’s healthy to acknowledge their perceived downfalls. Categorising people as good/bad with no grey area is dangerous and upholds them to a superhuman standard as no one is fully good or bad (and that’s subjective anyway)

Someone made the very good point that problematic male creators have never, ever had to face people claiming they didn't actually create their works. JK Rowling just said biological sex is real, but the likes of Roman Polanski, Woody Allen, etc (literal RAPISTS) have never had to suffer losing their credit to their work.

 

[holliebollie]

For those confused about what she said and why it was hurtful. And full caveat that I still have a long way to go in educating myself about the trans community as an ally for the LGBTQ++ community.

-The most recent (and not the first tweets jk has made upsetting the trans community): JK questions the use of “people who menstruate” rather than women.

-This was followed up by suggesting that the concept of being trans is reducing/removing the concept of sex.

Why this was faced with backlash:
-Not all women menstruate- M to F trans people do not menstruate and that doesn’t mean they aren’t a woman. Plenty of women don’t menstruate, it doesn’t make them less of a woman.
-Not all people who menstruate are women. M to F trans people may also menstruate. Non binary people may menstruate.
-by inferring that the trans community are responsible/the cause of dismantling gender is essentially like she called a load of people the lord voldemort of sex discourse
Etc etc.

this is just a few of the arguments as to why it was hurtful. I’m posting this here to help people who are asking why/ curious as to how this is being perceived.

We have to be allowed to use statements that explain biological differences between the two sexes without a million caveats. For example, ‘Men have erections’... yes, many men don’t have them but would we quibble about someone using that statement? ‘Women are less hairy than men’... YES, there will be exceptions to the rule (my moustache is flourishing under lockdown ) but GENERALLY they are less hairy. Women have periods. They give birth. What’s the obsession with picking at every statement about biological differences between male and female humans? This isn’t at you, I just meant the whole ‘there are soooo many discrepancies so we can’t use this statement’ thing that’s popular.

 

[Bitofthebubbly]

Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) has deleted twitter after receiving backlash because although she disagreed with JKR’s comments she said that she, as someone who knows JKR personally knows that she is a good person with good intentions and that basically she shouldn’t be abused for her comments. They came for her.

These extreme activists want nothing but complete submission. Even when you agree with them, if you say one thing they perceive to be wrong they’ll chew you up. I feel for her I read what she said and it seems she meant well, I bet she wishes she said nothing.

 

[Smca53]

It’s interesting how one side of the debate fails to provide much of a solid argument, and just shouts “I won’t argue with you because you’re transphobic” to anyone with a differing view.

Exhausting.

 

[bethannebodyworks]

Oh my god. What is this? A gossip website filled with some serious, thought-provoking discussion by women who aren't afraid to stand up for themselves? I have found my people! Imagine my surprise as I absent-mindedly clicked on the "celebs" forum after heading over from the "gurus" forum, thinking that people in this thread would be obsessed SJWs on a crusade. Instead, I find this breath of fresh air.

I support JK Rowling 1000%. I, too, think this madness is insane. "Oh, you're probably just a boy!" people say to girls who like traditionally "masculine" things, "just transition...." What a step backwards. It makes me so damn uncomfortable. There is no right or wrong way to be a girl, and why does it alway seem like women--never men--suffer in the gender wars?

The job advert above is just one example of where the lines are becoming blurred. Personally I wouldn't feel comfortable discussing sexual violence with a trans woman. Just as I wouldn't feel comfortable being strip searched by a trans woman police officer or airport worker. If this were to happen you just know that I would be deemed the unreasonable one for objecting!

I'm a member of an organisation that holds elections for certain positions, and a number of seats are reserved for women to ensure fair proportionality. There is one individual who stands as 'John/Jane Smith' (it literally says that on the ballot paper). He goes for the male seat and if he doesn't get that then he automatically goes in for the female seat also, and is usually elected.

I'm astonished every time I see it happen, that people are voting for someone who goes by John/Jane to a female seat and he is winning.

So, I'm from NYC and one of our local political seats was just won by a trans woman (basically, a dude who has made zero effort to be a woman, complete with wearing skintight dresses to show his junk off. Lovely.). He had actually protested to change a local "one woman, one man" law for elected officials and told those who disagreed with him to "suck [his] girldick." Such female behavior. And one of my other very politically active male friends had the absolute GALL to tell me this rule change was a good thing. I'm steaming mad over shit like this lately.

 

[Inforapenny]

Unfortunately the backlash and how accepted it has been has given the green light for men to yet again dominate.

Harry potter whoever he is and mr I play myself and pout Eddie redmayne have made millions off her and their careers have been catapulted because of her but yet again two entitled men who don't give a shit about women and say men are women, trans women are women want to silence jk Rowling.

There is also a sinister underbelly of men who happen to be attracted to trans women who literally hate women.
They are sinister and use the smoke screen of fighting trans rights to shit over women. Makes me think Radcliff and redmayne could be two candidates for this

 

[Bitofthebubbly]

I fucking hate this dolt. She changed her name to Veronica Ivy so when you google her no bad articles come up. She is dangerous. Look at how she is built, no wonder she beats biological women in sports, it is vile. She is built like a MAN because she was born a man.

And unfortunately that’s just the tip of the iceberg:
Hannah Mouncy (Australian football and handball)
Laurel Hubbard (Weightlifting)
Fallon Fox (MMA)
Andraya Yearwood & Terri Miller (high school track & field)

Just to name a few more. These are all transwomen who have or are competing in women’s sports and are winning, breaking records, taking scholarship spots and injuring other competitors on a disproportionate scale. Most if not all of them were mediocre athletes when competing as men in the men’s category.

To allow someone with all the natural physical advantages that biological males are born with, things that don’t go away with hormones and surgery like bone density, bone structure and muscle mass compete in women’s sports is grossly unfair to the women and girls who have dedicated their lives to their sport. Sports haven’t always been so easily accessible for women and girls, we had to fight for our leagues and our teams and many women around the world are still fighting. Women’s sport should be protected.

 

[FrannyGallops]

I’m not a fan of her Harry Potter books, but she is on fire on Twitter. I’m sure she doesn’t read here but on the off chance she ever does, I’m lovin’ your work, JKR.

 

[DanaScully]

‘Absolute terf’ I mean there could be worse things. Could be a weirdo, a murderer, or a violent man in a women’s prison who rapes female inmates, or a man who demands female only beauty salons wax his balls, or a man taking a place on a women’s sports team or a man who uses rape threats to silence women. Yep, definitely worse things in the world than being an ‘absolute terf’ at this point.

Totally agree.
TERF: Tired of Explaining Reality to Fuckwits.

 

[PinkBogeyBreath]

Surely if your not being transphobic & neither is JK then why be scared to be public with your views.
if you choose to hide your feelings when not on an anonymous forum, maybe you should think about the other point of view

Have you ever actually looked at the amount of threats women get when they dare to speak out about this stuff? Threats of violence, death threats, doxxing, etc. These threats come from violent men dressing up as women and using their male socialisation to try and intimate women into being quiet. These men are not capable of talking about the topic in any reasonable way. It’s their way or you deserve a baseball bat. Women hiding their views due to threats of male violence is nothing new.

 

[LittleMy]

It’s the way some Transwomen shout down and verbally abuse anybody with a difference of opinion that scares me.

 

[jewelkitty]

Men who transition to be 'women' will never menstruate, have a womb, have overies, have a cervix ....need I go on.
When the trans movement are offended by women speaking the very basic biology truth we have a problem.
No medical doctor is going to disagree with the above statement. Now I'd rather be treated by a medically trained doctor who understands the human anatomy than a so quack interested in the metaphysics of gender and sex and making sure men who have gender dysphoria feel comfortable.

Really many trans women (men) are misogyny personified. They have ridiculous notions about what it is to be and look like a woman. And there seems to be a sinister movement of men (who have a things for trans) using the idea of a TERF to display vile misogyny whilst sleeping with men (dressed as women).
It's such a fucked up way of men yet again keeping women down

PREACH.

 

[Inforapenny]

Please stop whoever is comparing black people not allowed to use white toilets to women protecting their spaces from men
This is the type of ridiculousness that is used to silence women having a voice.

On the question about generation. I am a 36 year old woman who has older friends, friends of my age and then one friendship group where I'm the oldest and the you get is 25. I am open about my views with some of my friends who happen to be around my age or older (40s,50s). Perhaps we older women are less naïve and haven't grown up around twitter.

I studied philosophy and theology at university and had my eyes open when I found the works of Mary Daly because of Daly & Dworkin and other wonderful, forward thinking women this set me on a path to question the patriarchy and how fucking damaging it is.
I have taught feminism in the context of religion and then society for 8 years.

All I can say is I'm disgusted with this vile misogyny and disappointed that women, (who other women are fighting for) are throwing us to the wolves to appease the trans movement and those sinster men who use their fetish to destroy and disable women.

 

[jewelkitty]

There are two main differences between the cases:
1. JK Rowling is a woman, and Polanski and Allen are men. No further explanation needed.
2. The people who are upset and so called victimised by Rowling are trans/men. The REAL victims of Polanski and Allen were women and children. And we all know who matters more in the eyes of the 'woke'

It's all incredibly childish, but that's the only way the trans activists know how to act. Forever throwing tantrums and name-calling. They haven't a leg to stand on in any real adult discussion about the issue.

 

[SqualorVictoria]

This is a genuine request for any fly and dash posters- perhaps you could tell us why you think we're wrong with our concerns? For e.g, why is it ok for male bodied men to take part in female sports and be at an unfair advantage? Why is it unreasonable to expect womens (and girls, crucially) private spaces to be penis free? Why is it unreasonable to not want crimes committed by biological males to be wrongly attributed to women? Why are trans people more vulnerable than anyone else in society? Assuming they're able bodied, there's no reason why they're more vulnerable than anyone else. Why is it transphobic to want kids to be left the hell alone and not told they're born in the wrong body just because they don't live up to gender stereotypes and given potentially dangerous drugs?

 

[Inforapenny]

tbf theres no point arguing with transphobic people as same as racists its unlikely they'll change their view.

Conflating two different issues is a bit weak and and really lazy. But if you wanna mention race...

Let's use the trans argument:
Born in the wrong body and I 'feel' a woman.

Let's apply that argument say to race...no one would stand for someone saying I was born in the wrong race and allow someone to darken their skin and appropriate as say Nigerian if they were of white European decent. It'd be weird and embarrassing and ridiculous.

Look at Rachel Dolezar...she pretended to be African American but in fact was white. She had darkend her skin, had corn rows etc

There was uproar. She has no clue what it is to be an African American.

But if a woman calls out a man for appropriating as a woman we're transphobic

well thats 1 word I can honestly say i've never been called. If being supportive of the Trans community makes me sexist though i'll take that insult with pride

You're proud to be sexist??? What???

 

[Vanillaco]

Please don't assume I was ever intolerant to other views on abortion rights and gay marriage because I certainly wasn't. I actively sought out their arguments because I truly wanted to understand where they were coming from. The majority of people are not "good" or "bad."
I was never one of these hardy leftists, I know the type you're probably imagining me to be, lots of my friends are. But I always thought of myself as a soft left. But being surrounded by peers who are very far left, any beliefs I have that lean even centrist make me feel some guilt.
Another thing, centrism is now demonised by the left, which is the ultimate example of 'you must believe everything I believe or you're out.'
It always annoyed me that everyone (particularly far-lefts) think that every single person is black or white. Either all their beliefs align with the left, or they all align with the right. We're all individuals with our own capacity for thought, how can you expect everyone's thoughts to fall into two neat little boxes like that? It's bonkers. People aren't so straightforward. I think the most basic people are those that make themselves 'believe' something just because it falls on one particular side of the political spectrum.

God I'm in the same position! I am and always have been centre left and very politically engaged. Now I'm basically a Tory because in the eyes of the hard left anyone to the centre of Corbyn is a Tory including the majority of the Labour Party. Its depressing and infuriating. They shut down debate on every side. I hate it I have a degree in politics. I have been involved in politics since my teens. I was one of those weirdos that loved government procedure Now I get told I'm brainwashed so many times by people who couldn't give a fuck about politics 3 or 4 years ago/ couldn't be bothered to vote in the Brexit referendum and yet are now outraged by it etc that I dont engage or speak about it anywhere. I have completely disengaged from politics for the first time in my adult life.