Prison for pronouns eh?

JK Rowling has said she would happily do a spell in jail if a future Labour government makes it a hate crime to deliberately call someone by the wrong pronouns. The Harry Potter author said she would rather do time for misgendering than submit to “compelled speech”.

She spoke out after The Mail on Sunday revealed that Labour plans to introduce stricter sentences for abuse targeted at transgender people.

This would bring transphobic abuse into line with assault and harassment motivated by hatred on the grounds of race or religion, which are punishable by up to two years in prison.

What does that mean? It’s not “abuse” to use normal pronouns, nor is it harassment. If anything it’s the other way around – it borders on abusive to try to force other people to use the wrong pronouns when referring to One’s Precious Self.

And is Labour seriously contemplating jailing people for two years for using normal pronouns? While 99% of rapes go unpunished?

Replying to a post on Twitter/X, Rowling said: “I’ll happily do two years if the alternative is compelled speech and forced denial of the reality and importance of sex.

“Bring on the court case, I say. It’ll be more fun than I’ve ever had on a red carpet.”

The court case could be fun. Two years in prison not so much.

H/t Mostly Cloudy