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Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is today at the centre of a fresh trans rights row after clarifying her views on sex and gender, telling fans: ‘There are innumerable gender identities’.
The British author, 56, has been repeatedly pilloried over her public views on transgender issues, having previously voiced concerns over allowing trans women into women-only spaces.
Rowling also sparked controversy in June last year after posting a Tweet in which she took issue with the use of the phrase ‘people who menstruate’ instead of ‘women’.
And, having become a lightning rod in the row, the Gloucestershire-born author was forced to call in police earlier this year after activists shared details of her address online.
But last night she took to Twitter to clarify her views, after her name and image were included on a US news website reporting a poll about views on gender.
Responding to the article, titled ‘Most Americans Agree With J. K. Rowling, There are Only Two Genders’, she wrote: ‘Small but important point: I’ve never said there are only two genders. There are innumerable gender identities.
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is today at the centre of a fresh trans rights row after clarifying her own views on sex and gender, telling fans: ‘There are innumerable gender identities’
‘The question at the heart of this debate is whether sex or gender identity should form the basis of decisions on safeguarding, provision of services, sporting categories and other areas where women and girls currently have legal rights and protections.
‘Using the words ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ interchangeably obscures the central issue of this debate.
‘If you’re interested in what I actually said, see this – (in which I literally say ‘trans lives matter’ and ‘trans rights are human rights.’).
The article, featured on American news site CNS News, reports on a poll by US conservative polling group Rasmussen Reports in which it is claimed that 75 per cent of American adults ‘agree with JK Rowling that there are only two genders’.
The poll reportedly was carried out via telephone and online, with 63 per cent said to have ‘strongly agreed’. A total of 18 per cent are reported to have disagreed.
The article also includes a quote from a piece, penned by Rowling and posted on her website in June last year.
In the article, which remains on her website, she write: ‘It’s been clear to me for a while that the new trans activism is having (or is likely to have, if all its demands are met) a significant impact on many of the causes I support, because it’s pushing to erode the legal definition of sex and replace it with gender.’
The CNS article, acknowledges that ‘Rowling does not dismiss transgenderism’, but says that ‘she has questioned how, politically, it is eroding the legal definitions of male and female’.
Rowling’s Twitter response to the article sparked a mixed reaction last night, with some praising her comments, and others criticising.
One person to reply, Lucie Westenra, wrote: ‘No, my social legal and medical existence is not a matter of debate, nor is my life the product of some kind of ideology.
‘I have an involuntary, lifelong condition, and live in a society that recognises and protects that, which some wish to undermine.’
Another Twitter user wrote: ‘I don’t see you as transphobic. What I didn’t like in part was the way you got your point across. With your reach comes a certain responsibility not to step on people’s toes and hurt them – unlike in your private life when you talk about it with friends.
‘Please don’t get me wrong – just like you (probably). I think it’s very important to stand up for your opinions – even if many people see it differently.
‘That is democracy, that is freedom of opinion. I would have wished only, you would have bought them more often so over, as above.’
Another added: ‘I wish both sides of the debate could see the nuance. It makes me sad that people seem to think perspective on this is either “you’re with us or aganist us”.
‘You be almost entirely with someone but have a caveat or two.’
Though Rowling voice concerns as early as 2018, she became embroiled in the row over trangender rights in June last year after posting tweets which took issue with the phrase ‘people who menstruate’ used in place of the word ‘women’.
She later Tweeted: ‘If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased.
‘I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives.’
Rowling’s comments were applauded by some, but heavily criticised by others, who accused the author or transphobia.
Then, in September 2020, she faced renewed calls of transphobia after it was revealed the the villain in her latest book, Troubled Blood – written under Rowling’s pseudonym Robert Galbraith – is a male serial killer who dresses as a woman to slay his victims.
She later defended herself against the claims in a passionate essay.
But she has continued to face criticism, including from stars of the Harry Potter films – whose careers were built off the back of her best-selling books.
Harry Potter actors Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe and Eddie Redmayne have previously criticised the author for her remarks.
Actor Chris Rankin this week became the franchise’s latest star to slam her views, by branding them as ‘damaging’.
The actor, who played Percy Weasley in six of the eight films about the boy wizard, said: ‘I do a lot of work with charities that are LGBTQ+ focused.
‘A lot of my family are members of the community. You can probably guess where my allegiances lie in that respect.’
Meanwhile, debate erupted about whether or not Rowling would appear in the upcoming Harry Potter reunion.
Earlier this week it was revealed that, in clips of the New Year’s Day special, stars had praised ‘the power of her writing’ and that she would appear in archive footage.
She is also seen in a segment from 2019 discussing the uphill struggle to find an actor to play Harry when casting the first movie, The Philosopher’s Stone.
The eagerly-anticipated reunion sees Daniel join fellow leads Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley, as well as a slew of fellow co-stars in marking 20 years since the franchise first aired.
That was then: JK is pictured with Rupert and Danielle at the Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone in 2001
Open: A teaser for the New Year’s Day special, shows Bonnie Wright, (far right) who played Ginny Weasley. Daniel Radcliffe, (centre) who starred as the titular character and the man behind Hagrid, Robbie Coltrane, discussing the author
Despite the star-studded turn out, the author behind the stratospherically successful franchise, JK Rowling, was not in attendance at the reunion special – sparking outrage from some fans who accused makers of attempting to erase her from the franchise over her views.
Last month it was revealed that Rowling had reported three trans activists to the police after they published a photograph of her Edinburgh address on social media.
Police Scotland said they had been made aware and inquiries were ongoing, while the group had since deleted the social media post.
It came as two US Quidditch leagues announced last month their plans to change their names in order to ‘distance’ themselves from Rowling over her views.
US Quidditch (USQ) and Major League Quidditch (MLQ) said they would decide on new names for the game, which Rowling dreamed up as part of her Harry Potter books.
In the series, the sport is played by wizards on flying broomsticks, while the real-life version is a contact sport, played by more than 450 teams in over 30 countries.
Source: Daily Mail
