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J.K. Rowling has been feeling the heat ever since she posted a tweet that many deemed transphobic, entitled and privileged.
It is not the first time the Harry Potter author faced criticism for making comments that many felt expressed intolerance for the trans community, racism, classism and ableism. She's drawn backlash so often people who saw she was trending on Twitter asked what she had done "this time."
On May 28, devex, the self-proclaimed "media platform for the global development community," published an editorial exploring the greater vulnerabilities that certain groups face in the pandemic-stricken world.
The op-ed had the following headline:
"Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate"
J.K. Rowling took issue with the wording of that headline on Twitter.
'People who menstruate.' I'm sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?
Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate https://t.co/cVpZxG7gaA
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020
That tweet ignited a wave of backlash from several people on Twitter, who felt it demeaned many people that identify as transgender and not as women, but still menstruate.
Others found it insulting to all of the women, whether transgender or cisgender, who have never menstruated and never will.
Rowlings narrow definition based on only cisgender women without health issues or who have not reached menopause left many angered at her display of privilege.
People who menstruate include trans men...
— syd (@sydneydito) June 6, 2020
Here's a snap of me and my mum. I menstruate. She doesn't. Not everyone who menstruates is a woman, and not all women menstruate. pic.twitter.com/VOJKacFDu6
— Ruairí (@morningruairi) June 7, 2020
Hi @jk_rowling, using non-gendered language is about moving beyond the idea that woman = uterus.
Feminists were once mocked for wanting to change sexist language, but it's now common to say firefighter instead of fireman.
— Clue (@clue) June 7, 2020
LGBTQ rights organization GLAAD put out a statement responding to Rowling's comments.
JK Rowling continues to align herself with an ideology which willfully distorts facts about gender identity and people who are trans. In 2020, there is no excuse for targeting trans people.
— GLAAD (@glaad) June 7, 2020
Others slammed Rowling for her recent statements.
Many recalled her history of controversial comments regarding the trans community as well as the racism in her books.
I know you know this because you have been told over and over and over again, but transgender men can menstruate. Non-binary people menstruate. I, a 37-year old woman with a uterus, have not menstruated in a decade.
Women are not defined by their periods.
— Aleen 🚀 (@Aleen) June 6, 2020
People you need to give this shit up. JK Rowling is bad. The books are bad. You need to move on. It's okay to admit you liked a book when you were a child that upon adult inspection turned out to be wildly racist, and the author a massive transphobe! https://t.co/yrh10TMTFN
— jeremy (@jeremythunder) June 8, 2020
why do you do this
— Emily Rebecca (@ItsEvolkYo) June 6, 2020
Since we're exposing JK Rowling, let me remind you of other racist shit she's pulled:
• Made Nagini an Asian woman who then lives her the rest of her life as a slave to a white man
• Had Leta Lestrange, a biracial woman, be the product of rape by a white man to a black woman
— ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼 (@eclipsesolxr) June 7, 2020
• The American version of Hogwarts is inspired by Native American lore, and yet who founded the school? Who were the students mentioned? Take a guess which characters had a more rounded formation to their personalities and which didn't? pic.twitter.com/o8CXcg7BJa
— ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼 (@eclipsesolxr) June 7, 2020
• In Fantastic Beasts, Gemma Chan played a character called Madam Ya Zhou, who's name, apparently, translates to “Madam Asia". pic.twitter.com/f2APAQTJAh
— ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼 (@eclipsesolxr) June 7, 2020
• The only Indian characters with speaking roles, Parvati and Padma Patil, were basically token minor characters thrown in for “diversity", and never forget their horrible outfits in the movies which she greenlit. pic.twitter.com/4DKUY3LfKy
— ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼 (@eclipsesolxr) June 7, 2020
• In the Cursed Child, she writes an alternate universe where Ron married Padma and they have a son, named Panju Weasley. When the reason for the universe existing is reversed, Panju is gone, and just like that the token minority character is once again erased pic.twitter.com/P1THfBNvff
— ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼 (@eclipsesolxr) June 7, 2020
And like this there are loads of other bigoted shit she's pulled (Throwback to her making ONE African wizard school for the whole continent because, you know, that makes so much sense) and though I'm glad she's being called out, it feels a bit too late.
— ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼 (@eclipsesolxr) June 7, 2020
Will she face consequences for all the garbage she spews out of her mouth? Not likely.
I, for one, will not be letting my (if I have any) future kids read her series. There are plenty other books they can start from.
— ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼 (@eclipsesolxr) June 7, 2020
Those tweets referred to some of the other times Rowling drew ire across the internet.
In December 2019, Rowling faced widespread scrutiny after she vocally defended a researcher who was fired for tweeting that a person cannot change their biological sex, Variety reported.
And Rowling is liking attacks against trans women again.
don't think anyone's spotted this but shortly before her transphobic rant JK Rowling liked a tweet calling a black trans woman a "racist white male" 😬 pic.twitter.com/Q9NEepG1tR
— sinéad naoimh ⚧🦀🍾 (@sineadactually) June 8, 2020
naomi has responded herehttps://t.co/oYUvaxIZdk
— sinéad naoimh ⚧🦀🍾 (@sineadactually) June 8, 2020
Rowling did respond to the criticism with additional tweets.
She praised the concept of "unchangeable sex."
If sex isn't real, there's no same-sex attraction. If sex isn't real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn't hate to speak the truth.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020
The idea that women like me, who've been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because they're vulnerable in the same way as women - ie, to male violence - 'hate' trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences - is a nonsense.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020
I respect every trans person's right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them. I'd march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans. At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe it's hateful to say so.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020
But again, Twitter outright opposed her commentary.
Many called Rowling out for the entitlement of thinking she can make herself the victim and respond with righteous indignation about people criticizing her.
Literally NO ONE said the concept of sex or womxn is erased.
The only thing erased here is YOU erasing the legitimacy of trans folks.
Please reconsider where you stand here, for trans folks and for so many who used to idolize you.
— Maddy Eisenberg (@maddyeisenberg) June 6, 2020
You're a smart person. How do you not yet understand the difference between sex and gender? The only way I can possibly explain your ignorance at this point is willfulness. It's incredibly disappointing.
— Brad Walsh (@BradWalsh) June 6, 2020
It does not appear that the backlash led to any productive dialogue or change of mind for Rowling as so many others have failed in the past.
The impasse remains.
It's safe to say you can keep your ears out for future controversies down the line.