Many people love the Harry Potter books and films. The love affair for the fictional world full of wizards, witches, and a school called Hogwarts started in the late 90s. One of the recurring themes in the Harry Potter series is acceptance and tolerance. There was even a study which concludes that people who have read the books tend to be more accepting toward diverse cultures, sexualities, and religions.
Yet, the author of those books, J.K. Rowling, has come under scrutiny for tweets on her official Twitter which some have deemed transphobic. It all started on Saturday, June 6, when Rowling put up this series of tweets:
‘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
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
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
Instantly, replies to Rowling’s tweets sprung up accusing the author of trans erasure and calling her a TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist).
GLAAD, as well as LGBTQ celebrities and public figures, posted tweets condemning Rowling’s remarks.
We stand with trans youth, especially those Harry Potter fans hurt by her inaccurate and cruel tweets. Our friend @jackisnotabird says it best. https://t.co/jLkchof3rn
— GLAAD (@glaad) June 7, 2020
There were also people who came to Rowling’s defense including Martina Navratilova, who has come under fire as well for her transphobic comments.
This is not, however, the first time Rowling has stated where she stood on trans issues. On December 19, 2019, Rowling tweeted:
After responding to a few tweets and making more incendiary remarks on Saturday, Rowling has not posted any new tweets to her account.
Sources: Journal of Applied Social Psychology, Forbes, CNN, J.K. Rowling Official Twitter Page
Update June 8, 2020: Daniel Radcliffe, who became famous by playing the title character in film adaptations of Rowling’s Harry Potter series, wrote a piece on the Trevor Project’s website in response to Rowling’s tweets:
Source: The Trevor Project
