J.K. Rowling is once again at the center of a storm of controversy, this time for anti-trans comments she made on Twitter over the weekend. With people still out of work and at risk over the coronavirus and folks around the world protesting to end hundreds of years of systemic racism, you’d figure now might not be the best time for Rowling to to trot out her reductive opinions about trans people (and during Pride Month, no less), but here we are.
Her comments were inspired by an article on Devex titled Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate, which focused on maintaining menstrual health in a time when many resources are shut down around the world due to the pandemic. Using the term “people who menstruate” in the article is a way to include trans men who still menstruate in the discussion, since the things the article talks about would apply to them as much as to anyone else.
But instead of focusing on the topic of the issues of public health brought up by the article, Rowling zeroed in on the terminology:
‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020
Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate https://t.co/cVpZxG7gaA
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
Now, we could spend a long time breaking this down, explaining how using inclusive terminology doesn’t “erase the concept of sex,” and how what she’s saying basically boils down to, “trans men aren’t men, trans women aren’t women, trans people aren’t valid.” And did she really say that she would march with people if they were discriminated against for being trans? Because they definitely are.
If you want to know more about these issues, Katy Montgomerie wrote a great article about why these tweets are transphobic over at Medium, and the YouTuber Contrapoints has a very entertaining video refuting some of the arguments made by TERFs (trans-exclusionary radical feminists) that addresses much of what Rowling is saying. This kind of bigotry isn’t new.
Predictably, Rowling was criticized from a great many quarters for her comments. GLAAD (the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) put it plainly, and encouraged people to donate to charities that help trans people, trying to drag at least something positive out of this:
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
If you want to direct your rightful anger over JK Rowling's latest anti-trans comments into something positive, support orgs that help Black trans people like @MPJInstitute, @blacktransusa, @TransJusticeFP, @Genderintell and @ukblackpride
— GLAAD (@glaad) June 7, 2020
A lot of fans are trying to do that, too, matching the amount of money they’d spent on Harry Potter merch over the years to help trans people, or calling for others to pitch in:
Chamber of Secrets money went to the Mutual Aid Fund for Sex Workers of Color!! thank you for making me aware of this resource, @_megalodon666!! https://t.co/ZnwAi9GFXK https://t.co/JpoRlCLqBl pic.twitter.com/YQIIy7o2ey
— james (@jamesholod) June 7, 2020
Inspired by @jamesholod, I calculated the money I've spent on Harry Potter properties over the year and am donating it to three organizations working to improve the lives of trans people in my state and across the country. The organizations and a breakdown of figures are below.
— R. Eric Thomas (@oureric) June 7, 2020
Even Katie Leung, who played Cho Chang in the Harry Potter movies, is tweeting out resources to help trans people, cheekily drawing people in by promising to give her “thoughts on Cho Chang”:
I’m at least happy that something positive is happening as a result of Rowling’s tweets. Over the years, she’s developed a bit of a reputation for being out of touch with the fandom, what with her constantly making alterations to the Harry Potter mythology after the fact. This feels like the next level of that. It’s unfortunate that someone with such a big platform uses it for this, and I hope she evolves on the issue, and maybe that she improves her timing.
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.
Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels