Updated December 20th, 2019 at 14:09 IST
JK Rowling gets flak on Twitter for supporting woman with transphobic views
British author JK Rowling caused controversy with her latest tweet where she expressed her support for a woman who was fired over her anti-trans posts
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British author JK Rowling caused controversy with her latest tweet where she expressed her support for a woman who was fired over her anti-transgender posts on social media. Rowling in her tweet took a jibe at the pro-trans liberal community and London-based nonprofit Center for Global Development for forcing the woman out of her job.
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Rowling in her tweet mentioned a woman named Maya Forstater, who is a tax expert and was recently fired for tweeting that trans women couldn't "change" their biological sex. Maya's tweet led to the Center for Global Development not renewing her contract in March. Maya lost the case in the Central London Employment Tribunal where Judge James Taylor dismissed her claims and said that her views were "not worthy of respect in a democratic society."
Dress however you please.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling)
Call yourself whatever you like.
Sleep with any consenting adult who’ll have you.
Live your best life in peace and security.
But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real? #IStandWithMaya #ThisIsNotADrill
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After JK Rowling expressed her solidarity with Maya Forstater, she was extensively trolled on social media. Many were disappointed in the Harry Potter author for her backward views. Human Rights Campaign also took a shot at Rowling as it reminded her that trans women are women.
Trans women are women.
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC)
Trans men are men.
Non-binary people are non-binary.
CC: JK Rowling.
Replying to Rowling's tweet, one fan wrote that she grew up reading the Harry Potter series as a trans child and that the author's decision to support Maya Forstater for her anti-trans views brought tears to her eyes.
I grew up as a trans child reading your books as an escape. I would often pick out names from characters to give to myself, before I ever felt comfortable in who I was. This decision, to support people that hate me, and want to do me harm. It brings me to tears... Why. Why?
— Noel is entering peak holiday spirit (@notafootstool)
When I was little, my dream was to one day ask you how people like me would have been accomodated for in hogwarts..
— Noel is entering peak holiday spirit (@notafootstool)
I'm afraid that my dreams might have been crushed if I ever got that chance.
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Rowling's tweet has garnered more than 136k likes and has been shared over 26k times. Rowling's name was at number 1 position on twitter's trending list alongside "JK Rowling is a TERF, which stands for "trans-exclusionary radical feminist." The term is used in the LGBTQ community and is used to refer to liberal feminists whose activism excludes the rights of trans women.
Read: I Can't Separate 'writing Life' From 'life', Says JK Rowling
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Published December 20th, 2019 at 13:29 IST