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J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter franchise, has continued to draw the ire of LGBTQ activists online by doubling down on transphobic rhetoric.
Most recently, on Monday, June 29, Rowling deleted a tweet praising author Stephen King after King claimed that "trans women are women."
After British MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle pointed out that Rowling has been using the fact that she is a survivor of domestic abuse to attack transgender individuals, Rowling wrote a Twitter thread defending herself.
One tweet included this Andrea Dworkin quote:
"Men often react to women's words – speaking and writing – as if they were acts of violence; sometimes men react to women's words with violence."
King, who has long been a fan of Rowling's work as an author, retweeted the quote without context. Rowling tweeted out her praise for the horror author, saying her love for him had reached "new heights."
JK Rowling deleted her first tweet immediately after Stephen King clarified his response https://t.co/Xlw3bfSHos— untitled goose name (@untitled goose name) 1593383742.0
She tweeted:
"It's so much easier for men to ignore women's concerns, or to belittle them, but I won't ever forget the men who stood up when they didn't need to. Thank you, Stephen."
If we remember Stephen King was an early champion of the Harry Potter series, so Rowling blocking him for saying "T… https://t.co/vt2ysYsMAo— Maggie Mae Pan Fried Fish 🏳️🌈 (@Maggie Mae Pan Fried Fish 🏳️🌈) 1593444526.0
King's fans, however, were not happy. Many tweeted at him for clarification, wondering whether he agreed with Rowling's transphobic sentiments.
King response showed he clearly did not.
@CodySkinnerFan Yes. Trans women are women.— Stephen King (@Stephen King) 1593379273.0
After King offered this support for trans women, Rowling quickly deleted her tweet praising him.
JK Rowling unfollowing Stephen King and deleting her tweets in support of him because he said trans women are women… https://t.co/32GvIahw23— Sarah (@Sarah) 1593433888.0
rowling tweeting a thank you to stephen king for retweeting her feminism tweet, and then deleting her thank you aft… https://t.co/NnBQbqYUeJ— Sarah Z (@Sarah Z) 1593402071.0
Trans author Fox Fisher, who chose to leave their agency because of its continued support for Rowling and its refusal to reaffirm support for transgender rights, said Rowling had "fallen in with the wrong crowd." They told the BBC:
"She is very scared and fearful of things when she just needs to spend some time with some transgender people who might also have been her fans."
"I think when we are not transgender we get our information from other sources including non-transgender people and I think that information can be very flawed. I just think that if she opened her eyes and saw that transgender women are women then we'd be able to move forward."
JK Rowling unfollowed Stephen King today and deleted her tweets in support of him because he said trans women are w… https://t.co/NM7q6kruAY— Sarah McGonagall (@Sarah McGonagall) 1593404553.0
Twitter was pretty quick to call Rowling out.
False alarm, folks. JK Rowling lied. Again. Stephen King isn’t a TERF. https://t.co/VyDOrr5zt7— Sonya The Outsider (@Sonya The Outsider) 1593380392.0
JK Rowling when she read Stephen King's "trans women are women" tweet https://t.co/C81CuJuDBv— Radical Bernie ☭ Couped POTUS (@Radical Bernie ☭ Couped POTUS) 1593456408.0
JK Rowling: Praises Stephen King Stephen King: Says Trans Rights JK Rowling: https://t.co/wOkzOs5vDe— BLACKMOON (@BLACKMOON) 1593461128.0
It seems Rowling's affection for King is conditional. She only loves him if he does NOT support transgender women.
Stephen King hearing crotch obsessive JK Rowling's unfollowed & blocked him https://t.co/qPZ6ufGctZ— Werewolves Not Swearwolves #yesitsfuckingpolitical (@Werewolves Not Swearwolves #yesitsfuckingpolitical) 1593451653.0
JK Rowling deleting her thanks for Stephen King's support when he subsequently tweeted "trans women are women" is r… https://t.co/mjJ9gkQSoC— Ŧરίʂƚαŋ writes (@Ŧરίʂƚαŋ writes) 1593388955.0
Not only did JK Rowling delete her tweet praising Stephen King for retweeting her tweet - saying she had "always r… https://t.co/9l9CbLGffO— Aidan Comerford (@Aidan Comerford) 1593416035.0
For many online, this tweet was the final nail in the coffin showing that Rowling was on the wrong side of history.
Thing is, Stephen King supports both JK Rowling AND transpeople. But that isn't good enough to Joanne. To be respec… https://t.co/1vZ5wthZCU— Cyberweasel89 (@Cyberweasel89) 1593477116.0
J.K. Rowling continues to make her fans uncomfortable with her transphobic tweets, though many claim its still not too late for her to turn things around.