I think we can all agree, the Harry Potter stories were pretty damned good. She’s a good writer. OK. Got it.
There’s a problem, though. JK’s recent rants about trans people have all the hallmarks of someone who has got hold of an issue, and even though they know it’s wrong, they just can’t put it down. Whether it’s arrogance, or ignorance, she simply can’t put it down and move on. And she digs herself deeper and deeper into a hole, retweeting transphobic tweets, seemingly surprised that many people feel betrayed by her choice to echo hate speech and support bigots online.
Many of us read her stories to our children and when seeing her recent rambling vitriol feel personally insulted. Sadly with all her millions, she has not acquired good judgement. Instead she bleats out her messages unfiltered, as though she’s talking to an audience of a few dozen. Instead her massive megaphone influences millions.
As she continues to sound off like the demented neighbourhood weirdo, who doubtless has 27 cats in her house and no friends, she broadcasts sometimes carefully worded – but damaging and hateful content – to her 15 million followers.
There is something you can do about it, though. I don’t condone book burning, as much as it seems tempting in this case. Instead I suggest you go and get all those JK Rowling books, and advertise them on Facebook Marketplace, or wherever you choose to sell them, and then donate the proceeds to a trans friendly charity. Taking her words and putting them to work for us is about the only positive thing one can do. When you advertise them be sure to mention that you’re donating the proceeds to a trans friendly charity. Here are a few suggestions that may be suitable: –
https://www.gofundme.com/f/briannagheymemorial
The Brianna Ghey Story – https://fionadobson.com/brianna-ghey-we-will-not-forget/
Mathew Shepherd Foundation – The Nex Benedict Story – https://fionadobson.com/owasso-police-department-fail-to-safeguard-children/
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
The Trevor Project
Glsen.
JK Rowling’s stories were entertaining in the past. Her recent forays into fiction have been uninspired, as she ironically writes under a masculine pen name ‘Robert Galbraith’. How screwed up is that? However, like the court jester she once was, we can laugh at her antics, but that doesn’t mean we’d take advice from her about issues like human rights, thank you very much!
Fiona
