“Harry Potter” author JK Rowling is facing backlash after tweeting support of a researcher who has a history of making transphobic comments online.
On Thursday, Rowling tweeted her support for #MayaForstater, a woman who lost her court case last week against her former employee. Earlier this year, the Centre for Global Development decided to not renew Forastater’s contract after she repeatedly made discriminatory remarks about transgender people, specifically Trans women. “Dress however you please. 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,” Rowling tweeted Thursday morning.
This all comes from when Forstater spoke out against a potential updated to the U.K. Gender Recognition Act back in March, which would allow people to self-identify their gender without having to undergo medical procedures, CBS News. On Wednesday, a judge ruled that Forstater’s language violated the “dignity” of transgender people, calling her language intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating and offensive.
“What I am so surprised at is that smart people who I admire, who are absolutely pro-science in other areas, and champion human rights & women’s rights are tying themselves in knots to avoid saying the truth that men cannot change into women (because that might hurt men’s feelings),” read one of Forstater’s tweets on transgender women. Rowling’s tweets immediately faced backlash, with some referring to her as a TERF, an acronym for a trans-exclusionary radical feminist. “Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Non-binary people are non-binary. CC: JK Rowling,” The Human Rights Campaign tweeted.
In a statement, Anthony Ramos, GLAAD’s Head of Talent, said Rowling “has now aligned herself with an anti-science ideology that denies the basic humanity of people who are transgender.”
“Trans men, trans women, and non-binary people are not a threat, and to imply otherwise puts trans people at risk. Now is the time for allies who know and support trans people to speak up and support their fundamental right to be treated equally and fairly,” Ramos said.
