Authors quit JK Rowling’s literary agency over her alleged anti-transgender comments

Four authors represented by JK Rowling’s literary agency announced their resignation over agency’s alleged refusal to issue a statement supporting transgender rights. Three of them issued a joint statement saying they had approached to the agency, The Blair Partnership, with an invitation to reaffirm their stance to transgender rights and equality but they were unable to commit to any “appropriate and meaningful” action.

Drew Davies, Fox Fisher, and Ugla Stefanía Kristjönudóttir Jónsdóttir (also known as Owl) emphasised that Freedom of speech can only be upheld if the structural inequalities that hinder equal opportunities for underrepresented groups are challenged and changed. In an apparent reference of Rowling’s comment, the authors said that feel strongly about having an agency that supports LGBTQIA rights at all avenues, and does not endorse views that go against their values and principles.

“Agencies and publishers need to create platforms for underrepresented groups from the ground up and make meaningful change within their culture,” the statement read.

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Anti-trans tweets

JK Rowling’s series of controversial tweets on transgenders while sharing an article on equality received major backlash on the internet. While sharing an opinion piece titled “Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate”, the Harry Potter author said there is a terminology to address such people. Rowling, who has repeatedly been accused of her alleged binary views on sex and gender, apparently wanted to say that people who menstruate are explicitly women.

“‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?” she wrote.

It sparked an immediate backlash and netizens accused her of “anti-trans” and “transphobic” views, saying transgenders, non-binary people and gender-nonconforming people can also menstruate. However, the 54-year-old British author stood her ground and said that sex is real and it can not be erased.

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(Image: AP)