J.K. Rowling's tweets called out as transphobic

And unfortunately, this isn't the first time.
June 8, 2020 12:38 p.m. EST
June 9, 2020 7:26 p.m. EST
J.K. Rowling is continuing her descent from one of the most celebrated authors to one of the most disappointing. After years of dedication to her fans and giving advice on how to protest President Trump, Rowling is under for using Twitter to share harmful and exclusionary views on trans people.On June 6, Rowling shared an article titled Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate. The British author took issue with the headline’s semantics, implying that the word woman should be have been used instead of the generic "people who menstruate." “I’m sure there used to be a word for those people,” tweeted Rowling. “Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”[video_embed id='1744452']RELATED: Inspiring memoir follows this transgender family’s journey[/video_embed]Celebrities like Sarah Paulson, Jameela Jamil, Jonathan Van Ness, Mary Wilson and Mary Lambert responded to Rowling’s tweets, pointing out the harm that someone with such a large platform can cause by their transphobic and exclusionary message. Many others have also questioned Rowling’s language on Twitter and explained why menstruating doesn't determine whether a person can and should identify as a woman.The author attempted to clarify her stance following the backlash and 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. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.”Continuing, Rowling said that she is a longtime supporter of members of the trans community but feels that because she was born with the biological sex of a woman, her life has been shaped differently from those who identify their gender as a woman but may not have the same biology.GLAAD has also responded to Rowling’s tweets, asking for those angry about the author's message to consider donating in support of Black trans people. This isn't the first time that Rowling's social media messages have earned backlash from the LGBTQ+ community. In December 2019, Rowling publicly supported controversial British researcher Maya Forstater who was fired from her position as a Fellow at the thinktank Centre for Global Development. A judge upheld CGD’s decision to not renew Forstater’s contract, citing her comments that “men cannot change into women” were “absolutist.”Following the judge’s decision, Rowling tweeted her support for the researcher and many have since labelled her a TERF (trans exclusive radical feminist), especially those fans who had found acceptance and a place of understanding in the author’s inclusive world of Harry Potter and were severely let-down by the author's views.[video_embed id='1972310']BEFORE YOU GO: Spike Lee is 'optimistic' about the current Black Lives Matter movement for this reason[/video_embed]

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