If you've had any doubts about just how deep Harry Potter author JK Rowling's bigotry might go, her endorsement of a vocally misogynistic alt-right ideologue's new deliberately transphobic film should ease them entirely.
BIPOC have been calling out Rowling's racism since her books were first published.
Rowling recently praised self-described " theocratic fascist" Matt Walsh's transphobic new film What Is a Woman?, produced by far-right ideologue Ben Shapiro's media platform The Daily Wire.
The documentary traffics in easily debunked disinformation and subtle mockery of transgender people, and was produced by essentially tricking trans and trans-inclusive people into being interviewed for it.
But Rowling praised it as astutely exposing the "incoherence" of trans-inclusive notions of gender in a tweet directed at Walsh.
\u201c@MattWalshBlog And your film did a good job exposing the incoherence of gender identity theory and some of the harms it's done. Many institutions I used to admire have uncritically embraced this dogma, but I reserve my ire for them rather than shouting 'coward' at individual women.\u201d— Matt Walsh (@Matt Walsh) 1657468360
Their conversation began after Walsh criticized singer Macy Gray for walking back her recent transphobic comments during an appearance on Piers Morgan's TV program following a wave of angry backlash.
Rowling had initially clapped back at Walsh for criticizing Gray, listing the repercussions women face for voicing transphobic views and telling telling him to "back off" unless he "understand[s] what happens to women who stand up on this issue."
\u201cEndless death and rape threats, threats of loss of livelihood, employers targeted, physical harassment, family address posted online with picture of bomb-making manual aren't 'mean comments'. If you don't yet understand what happens to women who stand up on this issue, back off.\u201d— J.K. Rowling (@J.K. Rowling) 1657463950
Walsh responded by praising the "courage" he think Rowling has shown in being a leading voice of transphobia before reiterating his distaste for those who supposedly cave to the backlash their views inspire.
Rowling responded by suggesting Walsh save his ire for institutions rather than individual women after praising him for producing What Is a Woman? She wrote:
"[Y]our film did a good job exposing the incoherence of gender identity theory and some of the harms it's done."
Aside from his film's dishonestly produced and easily debunked rhetoric, Walsh is a self-proclaimed "theocratic fascist" and notorious misogynist who opposes abortion and has frequently expressed views about women so vile that even far-right darlings have decried his sexism.
\u201cI literally call myself a fascist in my bio. Loud and proud.\u201d— Matt Walsh (@Matt Walsh) 1605102333
But Rowling, a self-proclaimed feminist, seems to have never met a transphobe she couldn't cozy up to, even one who is a gleefully vocal opponent of women's rights.
And on Twitter, her praise for Walsh left many disgusted and appalled.
\u201cJK Rowling: "This Matt Walsh guy really understands what makes a woman."\n\nMatt Walsh: "If you're a woman and don't have a child by the age of 22 you are a demon."\u201d— None So Arch-Vile (@None So Arch-Vile) 1657528786
\u201cAfter that little love fest between Matt Walsh and jk Rowling, I expect to never be questioned again when I say terfs are allies of white supremacy.\u201d— phoenix calida is not here for your shit (@phoenix calida is not here for your shit) 1657549271
\u201cJK Rowling has publicly praised an extreme transphobic propaganda film created by the anti-feminist, anti-abortionist, and openly fascist Matt Walsh.\n\nThat is not in any way hyperbole.\n\nWalsh self-identifies as a fascist. It is literally in his Twitter bio.\n\n#JKRvsLGBTQ\u201d— Bad Writing Takes \ud83d\udd8a\ufe0f\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Bad Writing Takes \ud83d\udd8a\ufe0f\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1657566776
\u201cNoted "feminist" JK Rowling speaking in praise of noted misogynist Matt Walsh\u201d— Bronwen\ud83c\udf39\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Bronwen\ud83c\udf39\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1657487903
\u201ca story in four tweets\u201d— KnowNothing (@KnowNothing) 1657487653
\u201cJust JK Rowling, praising self-described \u201ctheocratic fascist\u201d Matt Walsh. Terfs and fascists, united. I\u2019ll keep saying it: the anti-trans radicalisation pipeline to right wing extremism and open fascism is a short one.\u201d— Annika Brockschmidt (@Annika Brockschmidt) 1657488818
\u201c@jk_rowling @MattWalshBlog Lol Rowling is buddying up with Walsh, an anti-abortion, anti- civil rights, homophobic misogynistic hate-filled dull-eyed, Shetland-pony ass Ed Kemper lookalike. Love to do feminism\u201d— Matt Walsh (@Matt Walsh) 1657468360
\u201cre: matt walsh & rowling\n\ni stand by this more so today than when i wrote it last month.\u201d— \u0586\u029f\u0585\u01df\u057c\u025b (@\u0586\u029f\u0585\u01df\u057c\u025b) 1657554600
\u201cSo cool how JK Rowling and other TEs are like:\n\n\u201cYeah, sure, Matt Walsh is a theocratic fascist and a violent misogynist, but I like his views on trans rights,\u201d without ever making the connection that he holds those views precisely fucking because he\u2019s a fascist and a misogynist.\u201d— Fancy Brenda \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f (they/them) (@Fancy Brenda \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f (they/them)) 1657547313
\u201cIt's funny that J.K Rowling has lost it so much that she actually thinks Matt Walsh cares about women. \n\nTransphobes are so far gone, they've aligned with literal misogynists.\u201d— Eric: Sonny 4 Baddie\u271d\ufe0f\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Eric: Sonny 4 Baddie\u271d\ufe0f\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1657506829
Many scholars and experts have said the far-right has latched onto transphobia because it is an effective way to recruit seemingly normal people into becoming fascists.
If diehard feminist JK Rowling's embrace of Matt Walsh isn't proof of that theory, it's hard to imagine what could be.
Jane Rosenberg
Jane Rosenberg
@arianagrande/Instagram
@arianagrande/Instagram