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The continued fight against transphobic discrimination, violence and legislation often seems to lead back to heterosexual, cisgender, rich, White damsels in distress like J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series. Calling herself a feminist fighting for women—who never chose her as their spokesperson—most refer to people like Rowling as TERFs—Trans Exclusionary Radical/Racist Feminists.
The R in the term has become a matter of debate after many leaders of the TERF movement—like Rowling—have also been called out by people of color for their racism.
Most recently, Rowling tried to hide behind “innumerable gay people” who she claimed agree with her transphobia.
The tweet came during some comments on the United Kingdom’s Labour party.
Innumerable gay people have been in touch with me to say exactly this. Like women, they - especially lesbians - are under attack for not wishing to be redefined and for refusing to use ideological language they find offensive.https://twitter.com/JonnyWorst/status/1502623589375352835\u00a0\u2026— J.K. Rowling (@J.K. Rowling) 1647088751
Rowling was tweeting comments criticizing the Labour party of Britain and siding with a member of the country’s right wing party. In response another Twitter user commented gay rights organizations are “undermining” women’s rights.
In response, Rowling agreed, saying:
“Innumerable gay people have been in touch with me to say exactly this.”
“Like women, they - especially lesbians - are under attack for not wishing to be redefined and for refusing to use ideological language they find offensive.”
The comment echoes a time when politicians and prominent figures would justify their anti-progressive stances by claiming they had a nameless “gay friend” who agreed, or could speak on racial issues because they had a “Black friend.”
But innumerable gay people came out against Rowling’s position, letting her know she doesn't speak for them.
Can we please collectively roast this tweet to hell? I\u2019ve had many cis partners and being trans has NEVER been an issue. JK Rowling is now erasing cis and trans lesbians who date trans women.https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1502625249694822401\u00a0\u2026— Eli Erlick (@Eli Erlick) 1647098566
I'm a innumerable mom of a trans kid and she doesn't speak for me or my son— This. \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f ally \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf9 she/her (@This. \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f ally \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf9 she/her) 1647168635
When JK Rowling claims that "lesbians are under attack and don't want to be redefined," she's specifically saying that lesbians dating trans women aren't lesbians.\n\nThis is the TERF position. That your chromosomes, not your attraction, define your sexuality.\n\n #JKDoesntSpeakForMe— Erin, Trail Mom (@Erin, Trail Mom) 1647181505
YES STEPHEN— josh milton (@josh milton) 1647168855
Please leave the LGBT+ community alone. You\u2019re doing a great deal of damage and you are abusing the massively privileged position you have. We just want to live in peace. Please stop exploiting gay men and lesbians for your gender critical culture war. It\u2019s cruel & deeply cynical— Miffy, Duchesse du Dollop (@Miffy, Duchesse du Dollop) 1647099227
What have u done for lesbians & queer women @jk_rowling ? Have you marched, watched your people die, gone to the funerals of the victims of mass violence/shootings? Have you experienced homelessness as a result of being queer or trans? \nU do not speak for us #JKDoesntSpeakForMe— jo vannicola \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f (@jo vannicola \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f) 1647371258
As Rowling’s rantings and fight against transgender people wanting basic human rights continues, many have tried to find ways to distance the controversial author from her most famous work.
Recently, at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards, Emma Watson, most famous for playing one of Rowling’s characters, Hermione Granger, seemed to take a stance against the author.
Watson—who fights for women’s rights and gender equality—has become the centerpoint for many looking to still enjoy the Harry Potter series but not support Rowling.
Rowling’s continued spread of hatred has just gotten tiring for many former friends and fans at this point.
Hey @jk_Rowling\n\nTrans people don't redefine gay men nor lesbians nor anyone else non-straight,\n\nBecause we were never rigidly defined to begin with.\n\nEven acknowledging us as a community was born out of us rejecting predefined ideas of relationships and sexuality.— CritFacts the Nonbinosaurus \ud83e\udd96\ud83e\udd95 (@CritFacts the Nonbinosaurus \ud83e\udd96\ud83e\udd95) 1647218603
how do terfs even take jk rowling seriously when she constantly rubs elbows with violent homophobes and uses the name of the dude who made conversion therapy as her pseudo writer name... I really don't think she gives a fuck about "real" lesbians like yall think she does— ashe \ud83d\udc13\ud83c\udf6d (@ashe \ud83d\udc13\ud83c\udf6d) 1647216134
can jk rowling shut the fuck up and stop using lesbians as an excuse for her transphobia I'm so fucking tired— sparrow \ud80c\udd6b\u2602\ufe0e 98 DAYS (@sparrow \ud80c\udd6b\u2602\ufe0e 98 DAYS) 1647133504
JK Rowling: \u201cI\u2019m standing up for the gays and lesbians\u201d\n\nalso JK Rowling: \n\n#JKDoesntSpeakForMepic.twitter.com/GInCyTqPlQ— Alexander \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Alexander \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1647213515
lesbians ,, jk rowling just tried to speak for all of us im literally fuming this bitch only associates w likeminded terfs and expects us to buy in to her \u201cgay ppl dont like this either\u201d WHAT IF I F\u00a1GHT YOU INSTEAD— leah \u263d\u2077 yoongi\u2019s lesbian s/o (real) (@leah \u263d\u2077 yoongi\u2019s lesbian s/o (real)) 1647199914
JK Rowling doesn't give a fuck about gays and lesbians. She's just using them to attack trans people. You can see her mask come off while praising the viciously homophobic Caroline Farrow who wants to burn "faggots" like witches.pic.twitter.com/y54p5mboaP— Alejandra Caraballo \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf7 (@Alejandra Caraballo \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf7) 1647126896
Despite all of this, Rowling’s influence has a lot of sway.
People with her level of money and power are using their anti-trans rhetoric to justify passing discriminatory laws against the LGBTQ+ community as a whole.
This includes Florida’s recent “Don’t Say Gay” bill and legislation in Texas to criminalize gender affirming treatment despite approval by doctors and parents.