She “said” “something”
The Independent wants to make it very clear how strongly it disapproves of JK Rowling’s…badditude. It can’t explain more clearly than that, but why would you need it to? Badditude is bad.
Harry Potter fans are tearing into JK Rowling after she posted a series of “transphobic” tweets.
Are the tweets “transphobic”? Or are they transphobic? Does the Indy take the claim seriously or not?
Theauthor was met with a backlash after calling out an article’s use of the phrase “people who menstruate”. While many Twitter users supported Rowling for her tweet, there were plenty – including numerous celebrities – who criticised her comment as “anti-trans” and “transphobic” arguing that transgender, non-binary and non-gender conforming people can also menstruate.
Yeah no kidding, because women can call themselves transgender or non-binary or non-gender conforming (aka gender-non-conforming), but they’re still women, which is what Rowling said. The point is that people are what sex they are and giving themselves various fancy names for More Interesting Than You doesn’t mean they’re not that other sex. The point is that gender-nonconformity is not a reason to stop calling women “women.” We can’t have feminism if we can’t say “women.” We need feminism.
I’m a giraffe. But only on Tuesdays,Thursdays and Saturdays. Self-assigned,of course, and awaiting recognition as such by the rest of the local giraffe community. (The buggers are taking their time, but I am confident they will come good in the end.)
Didn’t Jameela Jamil just recently go through her own controversy over identifying as “queer”? You’d think she’d hesitate before jumping onto the hate bandwagon for someone else. Nah, I guess it’s “do it to her, do it to Julia” all over again. Orwell knew the depths of the human soul very well.
Ooooo, “many celebrities”! She’d better give up!
I honestly think this whole thing is likely to collapse in a giant cloud of pluralistic ignorance soon.
But trans-women do not in fact menstruate, though if they are undergoing hormone-replacement therapy, some may, it seems, experience odd symptoms at intervals – but that does not amount to menstruation. The claim is patently false, and ineffably silly.
Because I call myself a flibble, I am a flibble and not a human. What’s a flibble? It’s something that isn’t human. Meaningless term? Empty definition? Small-minded bigot!
Tim Harris, it’s trans-men who menstruate (unless hormone therapy has stopped it). And non-binary.
@screechy monkey: The “people who got hounded by the woke now do the hounding” thing is disturbing. It rings of struggle sessions and cults.
Speaking of which, this piece ( https://newdiscourses.com/2020/06/cult-dynamics-wokeness/ ) describes the very phenomenon. Basically, the idea is to use an emotional vulnerability (e.g., guilt or shame) to break down a potential convert then offer salvation through Wokeness.
Recently on Tumblr (abandon all hope all ye who enter), I saw someone earnestly compare Rowling to H.P. Lovecraft, drawing direct parallels to his racism and antisemitism and her so-called transphobia. The person agonised over the eventuality of having to explain themselves to the next generation when asked “what was your favourite book as a child?”, as though it is now inevitable that Rowling will be a shunned pariah whose name is not spoken aloud for fear of magical repercussions.
Somewhat ironic, that.
If you’re going to self declare, why not make it Galactic Overlord? And insist that everyone you meet refer to you as Your Galactitude?
Marge, I once had a sign on my door announcing myself as the great squid overlord. I think that would be a very cool thing to be (even for an otter, such as myself).
@#10:
Ah yes. But as The Bard had it, “the best laid plans of rabbits and women do go awry.” Many a horror movie has started with less. ;-)
Omar,
It wis Rabbie Burns wha didnae say thon (apologies for ma poor Scots).
Omar,
Given all the controversy, I suppose don’t want to stick their necks out.
What a Maroon,
Well, he was the Bard of Ayrshire. :)
I’m pretty sure Burns the Bard of Ayrshire also wrote that Scots classic drama, MacBeth. Or was that by the great McGonagall?
Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow
Disaster after disaster will inevitably follow,
And I must say in my odd Scots way
That every day I sit down and pray
That things should not get all that worse,
But alas there is a terrible curse
Brought about by those wayward sisters
Who studied at Hogwarts how to raise blisters
On anything they chose, as is described in detail
By the books that were written without fail
By J.K. Rowling, who knows her stuff
And never cries ‘Enough! Enough!’
But battles her way ‘gainst trans-activitists
And speaks her mind as she knows best,
But I wish she hadn’t thought up those wayward sisters
Who filled my mind with moral blisters,
‘Cos then I shouldn’t have done what I have done
And been a good boy who had lots of fun,
And that would have been ever so nice,
And better than a life of dreadful vice,
And my lady and I wouldn’t have missed the good life hereafter
But gone sweetly home to our eternal Father.
So don’t study at Hogwarts unless your name’s Potter,
‘Cos you’ll turn out to be the most frightful rotter.
The Bard of Bonnie Dundee, William Topaz McGonagall