Read on Twitter
It’s hard not to notice that JK Rowling has been attacked far more viciously for writing a book most people haven’t even read than Wiley was for writing openly antisemitic tweets that everyone could access within a nanosecond. And I don’t think I’m alone.
I think this may have been a turning point. My timeline is now full of people who have had enough of sexism and authoritarianism masquerading as inclusivity. The vile attacks on Rowling the last few days I believe have set the trans rights movement back a great deal.
The average person would be entirely happy for trans rights activists to state, cogently, their reasons for opposing JKR’s views and to provide a counter argument. But when hashtags wishing her dead and the mass burning of books follow, anyone can identify that as a witch-hunt.
I think Greg Southall made the point well for newcomers: he openly called her a “witch”, wedged in the middle of a lengthy tweet. Women won’t forget that.
We suspected others held us in contempt for the bodies we never asked to be born in, but we now have the confirmation.
We suspected others held us in contempt for the bodies we never asked to be born in, but we now have the confirmation.
I now appeal to anyone who supports trans rights who follow me and encounter this tweet: will you allow sexists and hateful people speak for you?
Because the average person encountering this debate will only see a woman hounded out of public life for writing an essay.
Because the average person encountering this debate will only see a woman hounded out of public life for writing an essay.
This does the fight for trans rights no good. It is impossible for trans rights activists to state that cis women have nothing to fear of the trans rights movement, while people in the same movement generate public hate campaigns against people who disagree with them.
I suspect the future of the trans rights movement will depend on that choice. Because, as I said, the average person is not hateful - many lack education on trans issues, yes, but the goodwill is there.
And that’s all I have to say on the matter.
And that’s all I have to say on the matter.
