J.K. Rowling pens essay defending gender identity views Published By Tribute on Jun 11, 2020

J.K. Rowling is defending herself against the overwhelming backlash to her seemingly anti-trans tweets.

“I refuse to bow down to a movement that I believe is doing demonstrable harm in seeking to erode ‘woman’ as a political and biological class and offering cover to predators like few before it,” Rowling wrote in her essay. “I stand alongside the brave women and men, gay, straight and trans, who’re standing up for freedom of speech and thought, and for the rights and safety of some of the most vulnerable in our society: young gay kids, fragile teenagers, and women who’re reliant on and wish to retain their single sex spaces.”

It all started Saturday when Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books and the spinoff franchise Fantastic Beasts, posted a tweet criticizing a headline referring to “people who menstruate.”

“‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?” Rowling tweeted. Many people were quick to respond, calling the author transphobic and labelling her a TERF, or a Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist.

Eddie Redmayne and Daniel Radcliffe, the stars of the Fantastic Beasts and Harry Potter franchises, spoke out against her opinion.

In her essay, Rowling also reveals she is passionate about this issue because of her personal experience as a domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor.

"I'm mentioning these things now not in an attempt to garner sympathy, but out of solidarity with the huge numbers of women who have histories like mine, who've been slurred as bigots for having concerns around single-sex spaces," she wrote.

"When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he’s a woman – and, as I’ve said, gender confirmation certificates may now be granted without any need for surgery or hormones – then you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside. That is the simple truth."

She ended the essay with a final plea, writing, “All I’m asking – all I want – is for similar empathy, similar understanding, to be extended to the many millions of women whose sole crime is wanting their concerns to be heard without receiving threats and abuse.” ~Brie Davis

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Comments & Discussion

Marni - 6/11/2020 12:47:55 PM

Thank you for speaking up for women, J.K. We should have rights too, but everyone seems to overlook that lately. Or not really lately, it's been like that forever because men make decisions that affect us and don't give a damn what our opinions and thoughts are.
John - 6/11/2020 1:39:53 PM

Im straight with sisters and father and granddfather. J.K.ROWLING I AGREE with you and please don't back down.
millie - 6/11/2020 2:37:46 PM

don't back down!!!
Wanda - 6/11/2020 3:29:13 PM

I would have to say after reading her comments and understanding the struggles of the Trans, gay, and identity free community. The one thing I am actually offended by is the actual headline J.K. Rowling is referring to... "people who menstruate" is offensive and limiting to all females biological or not. There are millions of women in this world who either have not come into their cycles or maybe cannot have them due to biological or medical reasons. It is verging on an insensitive/sexist way to identify what makes a woman a woman. Is this saying that a woman is only a woman if she menstruates or is able to carry children? To limit the identity of females to "people that menstruate" is offensive to all those women who struggle with maybe having a hysterectomy at a young age or cannot have children, or stop having their cycles due to age and what it means to be a woman if you no longer have that function. Trans women are no different, and to say that trans-women have never known the assault either physically or sexually is also limited. Trans women are women at their core - even if biology denies them this truth at birth - and ALL women should have the ability to feel safe, speak their mind, feel included, and be treated fairly. I n this case, J.K. is speaking her truth and it is just as valid as those in the trans/non-binary community speaking theirs, one IS NOT more valid than the other. Both issues need to be addressed so we can all feel safe. We have to find a place where people can be more open-minded and understanding of each others struggles - not make someone feel diminished because if it.
Shauna - 6/11/2020 4:09:14 PM

Wanda, of course not all women have periods. Some are lucky enough to have gone through menopause or have some biological issue that blesses them with not having painful cramps and bleeding each month. But only people who were born women have periods. That's what she's saying. There may be people who consider themselves men even though they were born women who have periods. But no transgender woman (someone born a man, who now lives as a woman) has periods.
Gordon Ball - 6/13/2020 1:01:19 AM

Thank you for standing up for women everwhere
Ken - 6/13/2020 11:16:39 PM

It should be against the law for anyone with a penis to enter a woman's restroom. Only 0.6% of the population is trans so I only want to be confronted with trans people 0.6% of the time. That includes movies and TV shows. I have been seeing way more than that lately.

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