Girlfriend
  • News
  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Life and Advice
  • Entertainment
  • Role Model Search
  • Dolly Doctor
  • Video
Girlfriend
  • News
  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Life and Advice
  • Entertainment
  • Role Model Search
  • Dolly Doctor
  • Video
  1. Home
  2. News

J. K. Rowling's transphobic tweets are getting slammed by activists and celebs

Transgender women are women.
  • 10 Jun 2020
J. K. Rowling's transphobic tweets are getting slammed by activists and celebs

After Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling once again made transphobic comments, many slammed her for using her large and influential platform to promote hateful opinions. Among them was Daniel Radcliffe, who played Harry in the film series. In an essay for The Trevor Project, he stressed that "Transgender women are women," and urged anyone who found joy, hope or strength in the books that nobody could take that away from them. Now, many more transgender activists and celebs have spoken out against Rowling, including Katie Leung who played Cho Chang.

One of the reasons why people are so hurt by Rowling's comments is that for so many, the Harry Potter books were a source of comfort and even lifesaving during their childhoods. Back in 2019—unfortunately Rowling has a history of transphobia—one young reader tweeted, "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?"

On top of this, so many of the deaths and instances of police brutality that many Black Lives Matter activists are protesting were ones carried out against Black transgender people. Tony McDade, Nina Pop, Iyanna Dior all suffered because of their marginalised identities, and for Rowling to take this stand now is tone-deaf at best and deliberately violent at worst. She really didn't read the room, or, you know the biggest civil rights uprising the world has ever seen.

The transgender activist and model Munroe Bergdorf called Rowling out on her very poorly timed transphobia. "These times are hard enough without YOU, a wealthy white woman, tweeting transphobia from your mansion," she tweeted. "Trans people really don't need your bullshit right now. Do us all a favour and give it a rest. To say that you're a disappointment is an understatement."

She also noted that many Indigenous and native cultures around the world didn't even think of gender along binary lines—just "male/female"—and that Rowling's comments also indicate her very narrow, white-centric view of the world. Well... looking at the amount of non-white characters in Harry Potter, she has a point.

munroebergdorf View Profile
likes - View Post on Instagram
Transphobia = White Supremacy. Whilst we are protesting, speaking out against and deconstructing racist systems within society. We cannot forget that racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia are all symptoms of white supremacist colonial ideologies. Either it's liberation for all or it's liberation for none. Nobody gets to tear another marginalised person down and call it feminism. Stop this nonsense #jkrowling. You're letting down so many of whom you inspired as children. Your ignorance is a grave shame and wildly unnecessary when trans people are fighting for your rights also. To choose Pride month to come out with yet more transphobia, in a time when people are coming together to call out bigotry whilst also navigating a global virus outbreak and impending recession, is an indicator of how you only care about liberation for people like YOU... READ THE ROOM! #TERF #translivesmatter #nohate

The Scottish-Chinese actress Katie Leung, who played Cho Chang in the Harry Potter films made her own Twitter post after Rowling's most recent transphobic comments. "So, you want my thoughts on Cho Chang? Okay, here goes," tweeted the actress before she posted three different places to donate money to Black transgender people and a link to the UK's Black Pride page.

Stunning. Simple. Effective. As one commentor put it, "Did she- she she really cancelled j k rowling without even talking about her? That's such a Ravenclaw thing to do! Cho Chang would be proud!!"

The non-binary activist and performance artist Alok Vaid-Menon also pointed out that maybe Rowling's comments were actually exactly how she feels about the current state of the world. "Some are saying that she should have “read the room” and realized that this moment of global uprising is not the time. Actually—she did," wrote the artist, "This is her response: white backlash. Policing and fortifying gender/sex boundaries has always been a tactic of white supremacy."

Vaid-Menon explains that Western racists believed Black people, Indigenous people and people of colour were inferior to white people. "To differentiate themselves from BIPOC, they argued that only white people could achieve a binary distinction of sexes. Racialized people—especially Black people—were seen as inherently “hermaphroditic” and gender nonconforming, stuck in a primitive past." The post explains the ongoing effect of this kind of thinking and how it also hurts white transgender and non-binary people now.

alokvmenon View Profile
likes - View Post on Instagram
In response to JK Rowling's recent bout of transmisogyny some are saying that she should have "read the room" & realized that this moment of global uprising is not the time. Actually - she did. This is her response: white backlash. Policing & fortifying gender/sex boundaries has always been a tactic of white supremacy. Racist eugenicists in the West long believed that Black people, indigenous people & people of color were "less developed" than white people. They used evidence of queer & gender non-conforming expression to extrapolate that racialized people were "backwards," needing "uplift." To differentiate themselves from BIPOC, they argued that only white people could achieve a binary distinction of sexes. Racialized people - especially Black people - were seen as inherently "hermaphroditic" & gender nonconforming, stuck in a primitive past. The sex binary was seen as a civilizational achievement of white people, one that no other race could reach. This is why when Black & PoC trans people sought support in early medical clinics for gender transition they were turned away. Their gender dysphoria was seen as a marker of their "degeneracy" that couldn't be "fixed." In this way, the category of woman has always been racialized. In order to maintain the guise that white people were more human than BIPOC, white men tasked white women with maintaining the boundaries of sex difference (having to look as different from them as possible to create the illusion of the binary). Genitals became conflated with sexed identity. The vagina was politicized as a link between the individual body and the white race. The purpose of sexuality became less about pleasure & more about population. Womanhood became defined by the vagina because it was white women's job to reproduce white life. With her remarks, Rowling is continuing a centuries long project of white supremacy. Her notions of sex/gender descend from patriarchal, racist eugenics. Ironically, she accuses us of masquerading as something we are not, but what she, & so many cis women like her, are actually doing is masquerading racism as feminism. 🖼 by @liberaljane

Rowling's transphobia is absolutely awful, but the best thing to do if you're angry for your transgender friends and loved ones isn't to throw away your copy of The Deathly Hallows. Instead, we'd suggest donating to an organisation that supports transgender and queer youth, like Twenty10 or Minus18, calling Rowling the Karen she is, and moving on with your day.

Subscribe to our sister mag and save up to 35% -

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to our sister mag and save up to 35%

Subscribe to our sister mag and save up to 35% -

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to our sister mag and save up to 35%

Recommended to you

Sophie Monk drops another epic Love Island trailer
Watch 1:00

Sophie Monk drops another epic Love Island trailer

{headline}

{headline}

'Harry Potter' fans call out J. K. Rowling for 'transphobia' & Daniel Radcliffe responds

'Harry Potter' fans call out J. K. Rowling for 'transphobia' & Daniel Radcliffe responds

Emma Watson posts EPIC Harry Potter reunion photo

Emma Watson posts EPIC Harry Potter reunion photo

A Harry Potter book just sold for more than our university fees

A Harry Potter book just sold for more than our university fees

You won't believe the 'Titanic' reference in the new 'Fantastic Beasts'!!

You won't believe the 'Titanic' reference in the new 'Fantastic Beasts'!!

{headline}

{headline}

The final Fantastic Beasts trailer proves that Dumbledore and Grindelwald were gay

The final Fantastic Beasts trailer proves that Dumbledore and Grindelwald were gay

7 celebs you didn’t know were BFFs IRL

7 celebs you didn’t know were BFFs IRL

There's going to be a freaking Marvel and Harry Potter crossover

There's going to be a freaking Marvel and Harry Potter crossover

{headline}

{headline}

Neville Longbottom just got bloody married!!

Neville Longbottom just got bloody married!!

J.K. Rowling is talking smack about one of her chapters and LOL

J.K. Rowling is talking smack about one of her chapters and LOL

ALERT! The new 'Harry Potter' mobile game is officially here

ALERT! The new 'Harry Potter' mobile game is officially here

J.K. Rowling just completely trolled Donald Trump

J.K. Rowling just completely trolled Donald Trump

JK Rowling goes on a transphobic tweet spree and fans are freaking out

JK Rowling goes on a transphobic tweet spree and fans are freaking out

Daniel Radcliffe Has The Best Response To The Whole Johnny Depp Drama In 'Fantastic Beasts'

Daniel Radcliffe Has The Best Response To The Whole Johnny Depp Drama In 'Fantastic Beasts'

JK Rowling Upsets Fans For Like, The First Time Ever And It's Weird

JK Rowling Upsets Fans For Like, The First Time Ever And It's Weird

Girlfriend
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • New Idea
  • Practical Parenting
  • That’s Life
  • Who

Our Network

  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • BHG Shop
  • marie claire
  • Beauty Crew
  • New Idea food
  • Home Beautiful
  • All Recipes
  • 7plus
  • 7News
  • Sunrise
  • Starts at 60
  • The West Australian
  • Perth Now
  • 7mate
  • 7Sport
  • Hard to Find
© 2022 Are Media PTY LTD
All products are independently selected, tested or recommended by our team of experts.If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Get more from Girlfriend

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe to our sister mag and save up to 35% -

Shop This Offer
Subscribe to our sister mag and save up to 35%