The real nail in the coffin for me with JK Rowling was last year when her friend Posie Parker came to Melbourne where I live, had an anti trans rally that attracted neo nazis out in public who were on her side and then JK still stood by her on twitter and is still, seemingly, friends with her. I don't know about others but if one of my friends had neo nazis coming out to publicly agree with them they would no longer be a friend.
I found Matt Bernstein’s a bit fruity pod on this topic sooo brilliant and informative recently. As the parent of a NB kid, I try not to dig into her specific hate too much so that was an excellent summary of it. Also your 10 things ref, omg 😊
I relate to so much of your love for the HP series. I remember reading the last book cover to cover in a sun-soaked hammock the summer before my senior year of college. It's awful to see someone with so much creativity apparently incapable of seeing the full spectrum of gender and sexuality. She's awful and, apparently, ignorant.
Could not agree more. Also, was on the verge of tears of compassion because my absorption into the book universe was also strong, when the revelation of Albus Silente made me laugh out loud. Thank you for that!
I can't speak for JK Rowling, but I believe when people start talking about "chest-feeding" or "birthing person" it pushes many feminists, like me, who has been fighting since the 70's over the edge. Don't fuck with the hard won victories, few of which remain, that feminists decades ago fought for. Trans men and women are equal to everyone else and she be treated the same. We don't have to change breast feeding and other gender descriptive words to accomplish that.
I was quick to personally cancel jk when the news first broke that she was anti trans. And tbh, I didnt really had a lot of the back story - the fact that she speaking out against the trans community was enough and I was done.
And it was sad because I loved the books and loved things like she was the first billionaire to lose that status because she gave so much to charity, etc etc but I didnt want to support her anymore and that meant skipping things I otherwise would have wanted to do, like see Cursed Child.
Im a podcast junkie so I ended up listening to The Witch Trials of JK where she explains her anti trans viewpoints. I ultimately still disagree with her and think what she's doing esp with her platform is so damaging in a time when the trans community needs more allyship but it made me want to be more curious about viewpoints I disagree with.
I have separated the art from the artist a long time ago. Harry Potter no longer equals J.K. Rowling. I loved reading this summary of the situation and all the emotions it transpires.
It's such a disappointing end to something so lovely. Her legacy was epic why did she do this? Over something so… weird? I mean trans-hate is weird. It's just such an odd thing to hitch your wagon to. I have many trans people in my life and transitioning is so hard and they're always so happy with each little step. How is joy not the thing you feel about it?
Harry Potter is my special interest. I love it. I cried the first time I saw Hogwarts in the distance at Universal in Orlando. I actually went to Florida twice because I love Harry Potter so much. And I loathe going to Florida. I was not meant for humidity and heat. When I had no friends I had Harry Potter. I too was at every book release and midnight movie. I have a special shelf with all my Harry Potter memorabilia. But JK is everything wrong with rich white people. Not to say that other people don’t have awful bigoted views, but her country more. She has the influence and the money so actually cause real harm to a lot of people. Not just those in her immediate vicinity like less affluent bigots do. So for my sanity, I had to let her die in my mind and additions to canon ended July 15, 2011. I can’t allow myself to acknowledge anything after. It sounds like I’m not missing much based on the various internet rants I’ve seen over the years. She could have sat in her castle with her billions and minded her own business for the rest of eternity. She decided to be a hateful clown instead. Every new thing she says is disheartening and baffling. For all our sakes, I really hope she stops broadcasting her hate because it’s unlikely she’ll stop being hateful at this point
To read her original letter proves she is the exact definition of transphobic. At first I felt bad for her, that she was so afraid of *men* and so deeply entrenched in patriarchy that somehow her wires got crossed and she was simply, ill-informed, unexperienced, and could come around to realize the facts. It breaks my heart on the regular how wrong she continues to prove me be.
Watching her double down on her hate has been so hard. So many special memories when my kids were young center around HP - the books and the movies. It’s been a good opportunity to talk about the both/and of the world. We can both love the books and memories, and hold Rowling accountable for her hate and choose not to support her moving forward. Crappy yet wonderful life lessons.
It's a real bummer when we see fellow scribes, whom we inherently presume have a few more insightful marbles in the bag, lower our collective bar. :( Goes to show...no matter how famous or successful one is, one can still be a douchebag. :(
Thank you for the conversation starter even though rather snarky. You can begin by reading an article in The Atlantic last week. You will get some other resources from that article. I hope for less snakiness next time, but understand your frustration in this social climate we find ourselves living in. I am sure we can find common ground.
The real nail in the coffin for me with JK Rowling was last year when her friend Posie Parker came to Melbourne where I live, had an anti trans rally that attracted neo nazis out in public who were on her side and then JK still stood by her on twitter and is still, seemingly, friends with her. I don't know about others but if one of my friends had neo nazis coming out to publicly agree with them they would no longer be a friend.
I found Matt Bernstein’s a bit fruity pod on this topic sooo brilliant and informative recently. As the parent of a NB kid, I try not to dig into her specific hate too much so that was an excellent summary of it. Also your 10 things ref, omg 😊
The 10 Things I Hate about you reference made me giggle. Wonderful writing, as always. Trans rights are human rights. 💛
I relate to so much of your love for the HP series. I remember reading the last book cover to cover in a sun-soaked hammock the summer before my senior year of college. It's awful to see someone with so much creativity apparently incapable of seeing the full spectrum of gender and sexuality. She's awful and, apparently, ignorant.
Could not agree more. Also, was on the verge of tears of compassion because my absorption into the book universe was also strong, when the revelation of Albus Silente made me laugh out loud. Thank you for that!
I can't speak for JK Rowling, but I believe when people start talking about "chest-feeding" or "birthing person" it pushes many feminists, like me, who has been fighting since the 70's over the edge. Don't fuck with the hard won victories, few of which remain, that feminists decades ago fought for. Trans men and women are equal to everyone else and she be treated the same. We don't have to change breast feeding and other gender descriptive words to accomplish that.
I was quick to personally cancel jk when the news first broke that she was anti trans. And tbh, I didnt really had a lot of the back story - the fact that she speaking out against the trans community was enough and I was done.
And it was sad because I loved the books and loved things like she was the first billionaire to lose that status because she gave so much to charity, etc etc but I didnt want to support her anymore and that meant skipping things I otherwise would have wanted to do, like see Cursed Child.
Im a podcast junkie so I ended up listening to The Witch Trials of JK where she explains her anti trans viewpoints. I ultimately still disagree with her and think what she's doing esp with her platform is so damaging in a time when the trans community needs more allyship but it made me want to be more curious about viewpoints I disagree with.
I have separated the art from the artist a long time ago. Harry Potter no longer equals J.K. Rowling. I loved reading this summary of the situation and all the emotions it transpires.
❤️❤️
It's such a disappointing end to something so lovely. Her legacy was epic why did she do this? Over something so… weird? I mean trans-hate is weird. It's just such an odd thing to hitch your wagon to. I have many trans people in my life and transitioning is so hard and they're always so happy with each little step. How is joy not the thing you feel about it?
Harry Potter is my special interest. I love it. I cried the first time I saw Hogwarts in the distance at Universal in Orlando. I actually went to Florida twice because I love Harry Potter so much. And I loathe going to Florida. I was not meant for humidity and heat. When I had no friends I had Harry Potter. I too was at every book release and midnight movie. I have a special shelf with all my Harry Potter memorabilia. But JK is everything wrong with rich white people. Not to say that other people don’t have awful bigoted views, but her country more. She has the influence and the money so actually cause real harm to a lot of people. Not just those in her immediate vicinity like less affluent bigots do. So for my sanity, I had to let her die in my mind and additions to canon ended July 15, 2011. I can’t allow myself to acknowledge anything after. It sounds like I’m not missing much based on the various internet rants I’ve seen over the years. She could have sat in her castle with her billions and minded her own business for the rest of eternity. She decided to be a hateful clown instead. Every new thing she says is disheartening and baffling. For all our sakes, I really hope she stops broadcasting her hate because it’s unlikely she’ll stop being hateful at this point
To read her original letter proves she is the exact definition of transphobic. At first I felt bad for her, that she was so afraid of *men* and so deeply entrenched in patriarchy that somehow her wires got crossed and she was simply, ill-informed, unexperienced, and could come around to realize the facts. It breaks my heart on the regular how wrong she continues to prove me be.
Watching her double down on her hate has been so hard. So many special memories when my kids were young center around HP - the books and the movies. It’s been a good opportunity to talk about the both/and of the world. We can both love the books and memories, and hold Rowling accountable for her hate and choose not to support her moving forward. Crappy yet wonderful life lessons.
It's a real bummer when we see fellow scribes, whom we inherently presume have a few more insightful marbles in the bag, lower our collective bar. :( Goes to show...no matter how famous or successful one is, one can still be a douchebag. :(
Thank you for the conversation starter even though rather snarky. You can begin by reading an article in The Atlantic last week. You will get some other resources from that article. I hope for less snakiness next time, but understand your frustration in this social climate we find ourselves living in. I am sure we can find common ground.
Hell yes. And thanks for standing with me on this one.