Let's Talk JK Rowling's Transphobic Book

[@Rampala]

I mean, the problem with the whole theory to begin with (aside from the obvious transphobia) is that men who are predators and have zero qualms about breaking the law to assault someone absolutely have zero qualms about walking into a women's restroom as a cis man. Like, they just don't care about socially enforced bathroom rules when they're trying to literally assault you. 😵‍💫

[@indedgames4359]

So you think a predator would sudenly stop at a bathroomdoor? Your an idiot .and no Transwomen ar Not Women but Transwomen. Ther is a diference

[@Rexdrinksredbull]

In regards to her penname - apparently, when you tell a publisher you want to use a penname, they google that name and tell you what history and connotations that name has. She definitely knew. Also, "I don't know Buffalo Bill's pronouns" is AMAZING out of context

[@urbanagoge7598]

I met my first trans person, aged 16, in 1986 - I was not frightened - I thought she was beautiful - this is because I had not been TAUGHT to be afraid - this is why media depictions of trans people or implied trans people is so damn harmful - they are shown as a threat and as something to fear - despite any statistics to the contrary - if there were statistics for trans people attacking people or tricking them, transphobes would tout them all the time. Even the kilingons accepted Jadzia Dax for WHO she was, rather than go by any gender distictinction.

[@AliceB0]

After reading "my first trans person" I can't help but picture a person with a closet full of trans people 😂

[@Blackwidow391]

hey remember when a book that was written in the 60s that had a transgender serial killer had the decency to point out that trans people aren't inherently violent or predacious.... in the sixties y know 50 years ago

[@sindelscat9336]

For one how is this person transgender, if the book is about a man disguising himself as a woman and attacking people then that's not being transgender.

[@dawnmcauley6411]

@@sindelscat9336 No but trans women being exactly that is a common myth perpetuated by Transphobes. It's called coding and JK has removed all subtlety from it.

[@sindelscat9336]

@@dawnmcauley6411 yes but it's not supposed to be a trans woman, it's supposed to be a man who identifies as a man, but dresses like a woman.

[@dawnmcauley6411]

@@sindelscat9336 But to JK Rowling there's no difference. She has said that trans women are men and at best, they just try to be women. She won't acknowledge gender identity and thus when writing a man in a dress, she is presenting a trans woman as she shes them.

[@sindelscat9336]

@@dawnmcauley6411 biologically they aren't women, and most of the "transphobic" tweets that she's presented mostly have to do with biology, and although they identify as women they are still biologically male.

[@LongForgottenJ]

Protect women’s privacy in public washrooms: Make sure all stalls have doors that lock!

[@Vivi2372]

I have literally never been in a public washroom that doesn't have stalls that lock.

[@artemisiatheta7549]

@@Vivi2372 I have...but most of those were men's not women's. Though, I love the fact that one of my local grocery stores made their single occupancy bathrooms "All Gender" :)

[@jequirity1]

It mostly happens when you close and "lock" the door, only to have it slowly swing towards you like the lid of a long- buried sarcophagus as you sit, crouched, on a weathered and stained bowl in the back of a 7/11, hoping against hope that you can finish before someone decides to check and see if anyone is in the stall. As you look past the wadded- up toilet paper lying on the floor and Sharpie- covered walls, you kick yourself for choosing the handicapped stall. If you had only chosen the smaller one with the unflushed toilet, you may have been able to escape this fate.

[@SuperSymbiote1]

It’s not that simple

[@madelinebell5046]

But in a lot of cases people can also peek under or over toilet stall walls. That’s the problem. That’s always been the problem, not the fact that stalls don’t have locks.

[@tooltime9901]

Its been a while since I have seen Silence of The Lambs, but the book goes out of its way to say that Buffalo Bill isn't trans, or at least doctors, the FBI, and Hannibal Lecter all say so. That's probably problematic in its own right for how it defines being trans, but the book was written in the 80s and at least the author tried to shoot down any idea of equating Buffalo Bill with trans people.

[@NIRDIAN1]

That is oddly comforting to learn! And yeah, Hollywood had no time for such nuance... :/

[@LinnaAP]

@@NIRDIAN1 They do adress it in the movie as well probably bc is a important plot point but the harm is done anyway bc what most people remember is the visual since the stereotype matches their believes/commom ideas about it. Until there's enough good representation and the general people know more about trans people is very dificult to use this trope without harm. The documentary Disclosure shows this quite vividly.

[@OllamhDrab]

One disclaimer out of two movies featuring trans-coded, if non-trans psychoes, doesn't really change the trope and stoking of fears.

[@fieryapple7020]

I have read the book. Buffalo Bill IS a trans. He desperately wants to turn into woman, thats why he kills and skins women. He sees himself as a woman in man's shell like a butterfly.

[@kristianwichmann9996]

That trope is inspired by Ed Gein. But its perpetuation is unfortunate.

[@danb4282]

I’m disappointed, but I’m not surprised. THIS is why we said that the tweets were a big deal. She’s got a huge platform and she’s a writer. She even said she was looking at those transphobic tweets for “research.” It bemuses me that transphobes are so obsessed with the idea of a cis guy pretending to be a woman to kill other women, because I don’t think it’s ever happened? Like, at all? The bathroom argument is also mental to me because. A. What do these people think you can actually see in bathrooms?? Some sexy sexy shut cubicles? And B. I’m a trans guy. I get read as male. Cis women do not want me in their bathroom.

[@ThePanMan11]

Cis man that came here for star trek and stayed for exposure to the trans culture that I now understand a lot better.

[@user-lx3oi6xy2e]

You're a man, end of.

[@NIRDIAN1]

@@user-lx3oi6xy2e Fucking hell dude, at least let other people be nice to trans folk for once?

[@ThePanMan11]

@@NIRDIAN1 I wasn't even sure if it was negative or not haha

[@danb4282]

Good for you man!

[@ThePanMan11]

@@danb4282 I guess it's a little easier because I'm pansexual so my initial response to trans people is closer to "oooh" than "eww" but I don't actually know any trans people. So I had very little understanding of what it's like to be trans. The exposure I got from watching this channel has been a positive learning experience.

[@theneonchimpchannel9095]

Yes, the name is that of the father of conversion therapy. She's said it was a coincidence but that does seem unlikely, especially as she's continued to use it after it's been pointed out to her.

[@emilytrott]

If you are talking about her pen name, I'd assume that she would have to keep it since it is recognizable on the covers of the books and helps with repeat sales.

[@ThAlEdison]

Ok, the fluffy kittens came in at the right time

[@barbaramcgee8933]

Of course it's always the right time for kittens.

[@MiguelPlata26]

I'm so disappointed at J.K. Rowling. As a cis gay male I found her intent to divide the LGBT community problematic, cause she tried to include lesbian women into her Twitter rants, and believe it or not there are some gay and lesbian people that agree with her views, which is a huge contradiction as black trans women were integral to the LGBT rights movement. To me that is the worst effect of her rants. The other like weird contradiction is that there are many other beings in the HP universe that are actively discriminated against, including Wizards and Witches with Muggle heritage. So, It's so strange she is thinking these cruel thoughts.

[@kellygingrich4302]

Almost seems like these statements and the essay were attempts to preemptively mitigate the backlash she knew her new book would get because it represents dehumanizing beliefs. Which backfired.

[@jaxsetbertoncarlism8873]

Nothing to speculate here, she mentioned that her research online was for her new book, so we're just seeing the old event play out now. No cause for renewed outrage

[@yhyh8990]

Jaxsetberton Carlism sadly that doesn’t fit into the narrative

[@siddharthsinha9300]

Absolutely right. That's the impression I get, too.

[@Dfarrey]

It seems to me like what she did was say "this is a problem that happens." Then people challenged her to give examples, and she couldn't, so she made one up and published it. Something that makes this more problematic is that people don't inherently separate real and fictional stories. For example, if you discuss ridiculous lawsuits, one example that comes up a lot is the burglar who fell through a skylight and landed on a knife, then sued the homeowner. Except that never happened. It was an anecdote in the movie Liar Liar. Now that there's a new published story about a man dressing up as a woman to kill women, it's going to come up as an example and people will forget that it's fictional.

[@harjutapa]

Of note: the story of the burglar suing the homeowner predates Liar Liar by many years. I knew that story as a kid, in the early 90s.

[@mortiferamorphasmus]

@@veritas4698 Yeah... your a bigot blaming trans women for the actions of straight men. How disgusting. You should be ashamed of yourself.

[@Dfarrey]

@@veritas4698 I never said it doesn't happen, just that it's nowhere near as prevalent as the narrative people like you are pushing.

[@veritas4698]

@@Dfarrey How prevalent do you need it to be for you to accept it's a problem David? How many women and teenage girls need to die for you to go "oh this is bad"? 50? 100? 10 000? 1 million? Give me a number David.

[@deaf-tomcat]

It's the McDonanlds coffee lap all over again. (except, it did happen but was grossly propagated and now ppl make fun of a situation where real harm occured) People blow and underrepresent whatever they can to their advantage

[@overlydramaticpanda]

Honestly, I'm really starting to believe that Rowling and/or her publishers *knew* that this book would cause some...I'll be polite and say "fairly uncomfortable" questions to come her way so the whole essay and flame up of TERF rhetoric over the past few months was less Rowling independently thinking "you know what? I need to get this off my chest because I just cannot hold it in any longer" and more a calculated ploy to deflect those questions before the book came out and damn the consequences and the hurt it causes. I've seen people use works like "Silence of the Lambs" and "Psycho" to defend Rowling's depiction of the killer in this book and while it's been a while since I've read/seen either of them, I would just say that I'm pretty sure I remember various characters in SotL stating that transpeople aren't inherently violent or predatory (and may I remind you that this was in the 1960s), and Norman Bates is, in my opinion, less actually trans and more dealing with numerous genuine psychoses that revolve around the relationship he had with his mother. And in any case, both these works were written at a time when being trans (particularly MtF) was inextricably linked to homosexuality...which was still being considered a mental illness. In 2020, that is no longer a viable excuse for this kind of depiction. There's more information on trans issues available quite literally at our fingertips than there has ever been - there is no excuse for perpetuating harmful stereotypes especially when the author has repeatedly expressed that she herself holds the stereotype as fact. The whole "the killer doesn't identify as trans so Rowling's not attacking transpeople" argument holds absolutely no water when the villain fits exactly into the model that Rowling has in her head of what a transwoman is. She is not attacking the reality of transpeople but she absolutely *is* attacking what she thinks transpeople are. The intent for harm is demonstrably there and there can be no excuse for that.

[@JL0ndon]

This reminds me so much of Silence of the Lambs. buffalo bill is said “to not be a transsexual, he’s tried and is trying to be the opposite of all he is” by Hannibal Lecter. But the way the way Bill is presented he is clearly meant to make the viewer of transgender folks, and all of his evil intentions comes from wanting to be a woman. This is literally something the lgbtq community was protesting back in the early 90s and now Rowling is literally making this tired trope continue. It’s so harmful and she’s trying to use it to further this dangerous ideology. I have no time for an ideologue like that. Edit: sorry for using the word TS but i wanted to get across what Hannibal lector’s character said.

[@crazykenna]

There was a really good Tumblr post about how the house elves aren't a metaphor for slaves, they're wives. That's why Dobby was so miserable when he was abused in his home, but other house elves were indignant about the idea of being 'liberated' from their happy home lives by someone like Hermione. This reading turns house elves into a critique of feminism being imposed on women who are happy with their own subjugation. It's still a Big Yikes, but I think it fits better.

[@mo.ka.9661]

If they are voluntarily staying there then how is it subjugation?

[@OllamhDrab]

@@mo.ka.9661 Well, they're still in a subjugated state, whether they're treated well or not. I think that's kind of the grey area there, ....is that really in their nature to just prefer to help others, if so, shouldn't they be respected for that?.... or are they really just kind of toxically-indoctrinated? If you really think about Dumbledore, he said, 'All anyone at Hogwarts who needs help has to do is ask for it.' Presumably that applies to the House Elves there and the recurring sock image. :)

[@ahumanbeingfromtheearth1502]

Seems kind of a stetch to me.

[@bestest_mensch]

......they're elves

[@ListlessLion]

@@echelonanglo2226 Are you also confused by the existence of black people in sci-fi when aliens are used for racial metaphors?

[@danshive4017]

Rowling has now crossed a line that I can't get past. I feel she would have to do a complete one-eighty and become an active advocate for trans rights both vocally and financially for me to consider her redeemed. As is, I consider her toxic and her past works poisoned.

[@sandyg4646]

Dan did you read the book? Or even reviews of the book?

[@danshive4017]

​@@sandyg4646 Unless it turns out that the entire premise as presented is not the actual story, that's irrelevant. There isn't some nuanced take on "cisgender murderer disguised as a woman" that I'm going to find okay, particularly given what else she's been saying otherwise. Unless the review is "actually, that doesn't happen at all, I'm not sure what people are even referring to, there isn't a cisgender man disguised as a woman who is also the murderer, it's a completely different story", I'm not sure what you're getting at. We're in a situation that hinges on the entire premise being different for it to matter.

[@tmnt10000]

@@danshive4017 Does cis stand for Confederacy of Independent Systems

[@triccele]

"Her past work poisoned" is the saddest part for many. I can't read Harry Potter now, a story about how we shouldn't segregate or attack people for what a hatefull group say about them, knowing she is exactly a part of one of those groups.

[@esval3054]

@@sandyg4646 I don't think he did

[@riyaarora4575]

Honestly I am not surprised with jk. But this is so pathetic that to satisfy your point and ego she is stopping to this level. To hp fans like me you don't have to leave the fandom because she is the one who is doing harm not you. We don't owe her anything .Though she has created the book we fans made the fandom and it is a safe space. I don't want to spend my energy and time on this woman. Hogwarts is always to welcome you home, cis or trans! This fandom stands with the LGBTQ+ community. Yeah well people call me a hypocrite but jk's hate is never going to move me from my hogwarts. In words of Daniel, The emotions you felt reading the book is between you and the book and it's sacred. Be kind ❤️

[@technoloverish]

I really like seeing comments like this because I myself am also rather fond her creation, though I often worry that my interest in it would make me seem as though I still am fond of Rawling herself. It's still something I feel a bit conflicted about. The good news is that it seems that most of the actors from the film adaptations and are pretty staunchly opposed to her stance on transgender individuals, as is a good chunk of the fandom.

[@riyaarora4575]

@@technoloverish yes and you don't have to worry about it because we love the art not her. We don't support her ideas. My hp book collection is not complete last two parts are pending so I am trying to get second hand books so my money doesn't end up in her wallet😅

[@technoloverish]

@@riyaarora4575 Yes. By the way, this may be somewhat of a tangent, but I even recently have done a few drawings of Voldemort. Here are the links, if you're interest. He was arguably my favorite of her creations. It's rather strange to me that the ideology of Voldemort and the message it is meant to send to fans, she would be trans exclusionary. It's as though her brand of feminism is concerned with the gender form of blood purity or something. www.deviantart.com/henriggle/art/Hooded-Voldemort-842473364 www.deviantart.com/henriggle/art/11-Year-Old-Voldemort-to-He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named-854812797 www.deviantart.com/henriggle/art/Voldemort-Returns-855724447

[@daedalusrho]

At times I've felt that people have been a bit unfair or uncharitable to JK, but this new book is such self-aware hurtfulness that there's really no way to defend her anymore. This is her Morrissey moment and I guess the fandom needs to draw a line under her HP work much like Smiths fans had to.

[@riyaarora4575]

@@daedalusrho I agree. People have been very harsh and extremely toxic towards her too and giving death threats(which is not okay) I was sad about what she was saying at first. And people have been saying to me that you have not read the book or the book is not about transgender it's about a transvestite and stuff but again it is written by her. If this book was written by her before this whole scenario I may have read it because anyone can be a killer and there have been many mystery novels revolving around this storyline and there is nothing wrong about it BUT this is written by her and she is trying to prove her point and satisfy her ego. She thinks that transgender women are men in dresses so isn't the protagonist the same as transgender according to her views!? She returned her woman of the year award because the award company support the trans rights and people. She even gave a shout-out to a shop/company which makes T-shirts saying F* your pronouns. So if someone says that she isn't transphobic then that person is being manipulated by her because she writes very subtly.

[@pocketheart1450]

I have been raped several times while I was an underaged prostitute, which was probably the worst period of my life. The idea that someone out there thinks that I could be a rapist or that I would want to hurt somebody the way I was hurt just... pierces me deep into my heart. I wonder if that's the point.

[@siddharthsinha9300]

Horrified to read about your experiences. For whatever it's worth, please accept my heartfelt sympathy for what you have gone through.

[@sindelscat9336]

I am so sorry that happened to you, and I myself may be a male but I am still afraid that it might happen to me, but it's not really the same thing, she hasn't been intending this to be a trans person.

[@sigyn27]

You are very strong. Don't let this stupid and toxic woman get you down. I wish you all the best!

[@matthewvp8507]

Not sure if this helps, but I am truly sorry about your experience. I'm also sorry that jk rowling and her fellow terfs have compounded your suffering with their words

[@sindelscat9336]

@@matthewvp8507 listen I personally like JK Rowling but I also sympathize with this person.

[@louiseedie8154]

Im starting to think she has got involved with this row with the trans community to drum up publicity for this book

[@iain9757]

The award drama happened the same week as the tv show based off the books came back

[@louiseedie8154]

@@iain9757 what tv show

[@iain9757]

Louise Edie so this book is part of the Cormoran Strike murder mystery series. Named after the lead character, A few years ago the bbc adapted the first few books into a tv series.

[@louiseedie8154]

I never even heard of the tv series obviously she feels she needed the publicity

[@Seal0626]

Like that time Anne Rice pretended to find Jesus?

[@lokigodofpuns3082]

This news made me actually wonder if she wrote her essay as a promotion piece, not that she doesn't believe this, she clearly does, but it made ppl talk about her and her opinions and gave her publicity.

[@MedievalFluff]

I thought this, because she would have started writing the book so much earlier than when she started getting involved with terf and transphobic rhetoric. is this all just some really messed up marketing for a really messed up book?

[@Axius27]

It might be that she (or her PR team) realised that this book would make a lot of people angry at her, so her transphobic statements were a way of kicking the controversy off early so the internet would be sick of hearing about it by the publishing date. You see this sort of perception manipulation in the video game industry all the time. It's a technique called "Outdating the Controversy". I don't think JK is doing it precisely like that (she's not a soulless corporation, after all), but it's definitely had the same effect.

[@lokigodofpuns3082]

@@Axius27 Yeah, that might also be the case. In any way, I think she and her PR team timed it that way, which makes it look even more disgusting in my eyes.

[@brokewithexpensivegames]

Aaron Lupus i think almost certainly. i don’t mean to psychoanalyse someone i don’t know but i’m going to anyway lol. I kinda noticed that after harry potter she seemed very adamant that she wasn’t going to add anything to that series. Then a few years later she has a play and a few more movies (that were screen written by her). I think after the success of harry potter she was never ready to lose her platform and relevance, but the franchise started becoming less about her, and more about the franchise in general. Because of this it would seem that she has had to find new avenues of getting attention. I think a lot of what she is saying recently, and the new book, is a way to get people talking about her again. I think she craves the media attention that she used to have when harry potter was a sensation.

[@yes-gm5ts]

She wrote her essay in response to the massive pushback she received.

[@seeeeeaaaa]

Is JK Rowling just really obsessed with transgender people?

[@erin_3569]

Yup

[@antoniobeardall6520]

Nope.

[@seeeeeaaaa]

Antonio Beardall She talks about trans people a lot though. Tweets, an essay, Maya Forstater, and a book

[@erin_3569]

@Diya she's the one attacking our rights, dude. We don't threaten hers

[@seeeeeaaaa]

@@erin_3569 She has not taken any transgender rights, all she has done is whine on the internet and write a book.

[@TimeKitt]

I think "giving the benifit of the doubt" can be streched well beyond any doubt. She's gone so far to make this part of her identity, that she is publishing under a name well known for transphobia, has stated outright her transphobia, writes the type of story that is well known to be transphobic, and still we are expected to have room for "Well, maybe not"

[@charliedawson6318]

The creator of Harry Potter is ripping off Ace Ventura. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

[@werelemur1138]

The most underrated comment!

[@yasminsportalesmachado]

:D

[@dkSilo]

The kitties are Spock and Kirk, no? Spock is even doing the Vulcan salute.

[@sahiralopez6146]

To Jk Rowling: “You have invented a new kind of stupid A ‘damage you can never undo’ kind of stupid An ‘open all the cages in a zoo!’ kind of stupid ‘Really you didn’t think this through’ kind of stupid” ~ Angelica Schuyler; from Hamilton

[@valerieprice1393]

Technically cut content tho

[@supremecud147]

funny enough lin manuel is also cringe

[@HereComesPopoBawa]

"open all the cages in a zoo!" - I guess I am that kind of stupid, because I've always wanted to do that! I think it's not ecologically survivable for humans to live separately from other animals.

[@paulheap1982]

@@supremecud147 to you maybe, yes. Doesnt make it factc though.

[@supremecud147]

Paul Heap no its a fact...

[@trekjudas]

"JK Rowling has managed to do something Voldemort never could.... kill Harry Potter!" Trevor Noah

[@trekjudas]

@@echelonanglo2226 A lot of people are deeply disappointed in her.

[@trekjudas]

@@echelonanglo2226 So was Lovecraft!

[@trekjudas]

echelon anglo her popularity doesn’t make her any less of a bigot!

[@trekjudas]

@@echelonanglo2226 Because she hates people! In this case trans people. Hate is bad!

[@trekjudas]

@@echelonanglo2226 Her new book and countless statements she's made. Don't be argumentative, she's a TERF. That's not even up for debate anymore.

[@davedahl4461]

I love that you try to see people from their side of the looking glass. It’s a rare and beautiful thing to do. In this case I feel like Rowling is pandering and looking for validation and taking a passive aggressive swipe at people she can’t and won’t understand.

[@Ynsanya]

I don't get the "women's spaces" thing. Are they talking about restrooms? Or changing rooms? We do have stalls there with doors. I couldn't care less about who is in the stall nextto me. At my university there even was some very manly man who always went to the women's bathroom. Nobody cared. Also, assaulting women is illegal for trans people, too. And why should some guy claim he is trans just to harm women? I might be very naive, but is this really a problem in the US or in the UK? Here in Germany, I never even heard of someone claiming they were trans just to do women harm, does that happen? Why would one be afraid of trans people? I mean, just look at jessie, how lovely, beautiful and great she is! I do not get this anger and fear. Can someone help me to understand this, please?

[@angelalawter2663]

JK Rowling and "gender critical" feminists are often people who believe that men are inherently more violent and sexually aggressive than women. In their worldview trans women are basically just men and allowing them into women's spaces (bathrooms, changing rooms, and everywhere else normally segregated by sex) represents a danger to the women in those spaces. Nevermind all the excellent logical reasons why this isn't the case (harassing people in bathrooms is already illegal, trans women are very different from cis men in a lot of ways, unisex bathrooms are already a thing in many places and they haven't had any more problems than usual, etc) because this is about emotion, not logic. Many, many GC people, including Rowling, have been assaulted by men and will always hold the belief deep down that men are inherently dangerous and untrustworthy.

[@claytonberg721]

Is it a problem? Well what is your definition of a problem? I just looked up the numbers, and this is from an actual anti-trans website. In 2017 there were 6 instances of it happening. 6. Out of 320 million people, 6 dudes pretended to be trans to get into a public washroom to perv on women. You probably have a better chance of impaling your self while brushing your teeth.

[@Sandreline]

They're also often talking about feminist spaces. TERFs want to exclude trans women from feminist spaces because they think they infringe upon their womanhood somehow.

[@ramywiles]

Yeah, maybe I just carry some baggage from being a young, socially anxious, probably-not-straight girl who hated getting undressed and redressed in front of other girls, but I never saw locker rooms/changing rooms as some kind of sacred safe haven. Maybe they were for the girls who fit in a bit better. And public bathrooms are just places to pee, maybe fix my hair.

[@HereComesPopoBawa]

@@Sandreline - Yep! I have been forcibly ejected from several online feminist forums a few years back. It was this campaign of a few people flagging pretty much any posts I made about social issues as being "off topic" or "harmful" in ways that they weren't able or willing to explain. Weird thing is that I felt that their concern was genuine, but just couldn't get a cogent explanation for it. Like - if me opining about stuff like homelessness, selective enforcement, consent, bodily autonomy, etc was somehow causing obvious harm and discomfort to people on a daily basis, why were they never able or willing to explain why? Or what I could actually do to make it better for them. It usually took the form of lumping me with some other group with dissimilar ideas. Like "You seem like you are probably a secret ancap/rugged individualist/gamergater/PUA/Christian/etc so you should feel bad and need to apologize". I kept getting called out in response to every post to prove that I am a good person and not a bigot, yet every time i'd try to methodically unpack everything clearly they'd complain that I was being self-indulgent, so needed to shut up and listen. I am all for giving people benefit of doubt when people suggest that I should check myself and how my behavior affects others. But with some camps, that accountability seemed always suspiciously one-way and opaque. It was like demanding to know what crime one is charged with, but all one is told is to "stop resisting", taking out their insecurities on somebody more marginal.

[@goblinqueen2813]

There was a thread on Twitter where op shared an exctract of the book and JKR also threw islamophobia.

[@erin_3569]

«a halal takeway» How does forensic is supposed to know that a food is halal or not ?

[@sa-eedahtaliep4249]

As a Muslim I don't find anything in the book islamophobic. Also... JKR is one of the most vocak celebrities against Islamophobia. So good luck justifying your misogyny.

[@erin_3569]

@@sa-eedahtaliep4249 considering how much all her female characters are misogynistic portrayal, it's funny to assume critisazing her is mysogynistic

[@sa-eedahtaliep4249]

Erin_ which characters?? And how??? How are her characters misogynistic? You clearly do not understand the concept of misogyny. Please pick up a dictionary before using hypholuted concepts you know nothing about.

[@erin_3569]

@@sa-eedahtaliep4249 mocking women for the way they look is misogynistic. Rowling is particulary viscious with the way she describe negative female characters as characters who «fails» femininity. The depiction of Rita Skeeter is transphobic to say the least, Umbrage' s depiction is fatphobic and classist, and Bellatrix's is psychophobic.

[@stevespain6445]

She passed the line, for me, where I was able to effectively seperate her behaviour from her person. I can do this when the behaviour is something the person can change, and for many folk, this is the norm. However, some folk enmesh their behaviour so much into their persona that they are inseparable, and for me Rowling is in this camp.

[@LayneLovesThings]

It’s so awful because she’s trying to muddy the discourse by deliberately confusing the language outsiders need to understand trans people. She has all the money in the world to find the right answers and she chooses to be cruel time and time again. It gross.

[@jaxsetbertoncarlism8873]

Well that's what she's doing with her resources. Saying that there MIGHT be a medical scandal, and giving voice to an even smaller minority viz regretful transitioners and supposed contagion victims. All the trans community needs to get on top of this is to support THOSE folks and be secure

[@discobear5752]

She has manufactured a controversy because it helps sell books. The LBGTQ community has fallen for her scheme, hook, line and sinker by calling attention to a book which few would have cared about or read. It's a lose-lose scenario. You lose if you point out her errors, because that creates more discussion and dispute or you lose if you say nothing and let those errors go unanswered.

[@LayneLovesThings]

Disco Bear I agree that it was her intention to rile up as much controversy as she could to sell more books, and it most likely will sell more than if no one had made a stink. I still think it’s important to call out bigoted or bigot-adjacent transgressions no matter the long term impact. Giving people, both in and outside the LGBTQ+ community, more reference points for what is and is not transphobic will help more people than she can hurt in the end.

[@jaxsetbertoncarlism8873]

@@discobear5752 why would her words have to be dissected then? Why can't she be explicitly problematic and indefensible? Why would people buy a fifth part because there's a controversy around it?

[@discobear5752]

@@jaxsetbertoncarlism8873 Why is a spider's web so difficult to see? Because it is more successful that way. If she were precise and clear in her tweets, it would eliminate the aura of suspense and mystery around her book, thus eliminating the potential boost to sales.

[@sigyn27]

I couldn't concentrate on the video because of the kittens :D Anyway, yet another good video. Also, I can't help but notice that a lot of what JK wrote in her essay and now it seems also reinforced in her book, is not only transphobic but also against men. She keeps on portraying men as these predators that would do anything to get an opportunity to attack women, including pretending to be women. This is a very twisted view of the world. I am in no way downplaying violence against women, which is a very real thing. But it seems to me that JK sees the whole world as dangerous to women. Poor natal women, not even safe in their toilets, because trans women attack them. Poor natal girls, tempted to become trans men to escape womanhood. She really spent too much time surrounded by radical feminist ideas. I am a woman, bad things happened to me in the past, but I don't see the whole world as a threat.

[@iain9757]

It’s also crazy how she’s writing under a mans name, yes it was originally to distance herself from Harry Potter and see what her books would be like standalone but it nowadays goes again her views

[@RilianSharp]

based on their essay, i think jk Rowling is non-binary/trans :/ i've talked to other people who said the same stuff and then came out as trans just a few months later.

[@zelamorre1126]

Even the "JK" part of her name for Harry Potter is MEANT to make readers believe the author is male. (Usually done when a publisher believes a book would appeal to male audiences. But male readers will be less likely to pick up a book if they think a woman wrote it. So publishers use initials or male pen names to sell the books.)

[@LayneLovesThings]

A man who is considered the father of conversion therapy.. Robert Galbraith Heath, she just dropped Heath. It’s real gross.

[@zephid11]

@@LayneLovesThings There are several people in history with the name Robert Galbraith. There were for example a Scottish logician with the same name that taught Juan de Celaya (a rather famous Spanish scientist). Rowling's own explanation of why she chose this particular name is that she combined the names of her favorite politician, Robert F Kennedy and her childhood fantasy name "Ella Galbraith". The same way Marilyn Manson combined Marilyn Monroe and Charles Manson to form his stage name. But hey, don't let that stop you from drawing the wrong conclusions just because you want them to be true. An other thing that was wrong in your statement is that Robert Galbraith Heath is considered the father of gay conversion therapy. That's not even remotely true. Psychiatrist and psychologists had discussed and even experimented with different forms of conversion therapy long before Robert Galbraith Heath came along, it started even before he was born. What Robert Galbraith Heath is famous for in the context of gay conversion therapy, is using electrodes implanted in the brain. Something he experimented with in more fields than just gay conversion therapy.

[@iain9757]

Rilian Kenneth Saunders shes said that if she was young nowadays and with her father being disappointed she wasn’t born a boy as well as the abuse she suffered she has said that she would have “felt forced to be trans”

[@marg5404]

That's it: All Rowling books and dvds are banned from my house.

[@SuperSymbiote1]

Why?

[@archer5915]

I understand the sentiment, but the attitude my family has is "we can enjoy the shitty people's things without giving shitty people money," i.e. pirated media, books bought second hand only. I also tend to keep the pre-reveal things I already have since it would be a waste to throw out things that are very important to me, despite the damage their creators do to my community.

[@Grizabeebles]

You know, something occurred to me about half way through the video: Between 1850 and 1918 women fought for the right to vote. But it wasn't until the 1970s that the first woman became CEO of a fortune 500 company. The deliniation between sex and gender only BEGAN appearing in college textbooks in the 1970s. Nearly a decade _after_ the Civil Rights Act was signed into law. It reminds me of draining a bathtub. The water at the far end of the tub takes a long time to get moving and it can stay stuck in little pools if the rubber ducky, the soap and other junk at the botton of the tub gets in the way. Maybe what's needed is to move thr junky ideas around rather than to try to break them up directly. Like, the percentage of the population wearing skirts and blouses isn't going to meaninfully change the viability of hiding in the washroom as a criminal tactic. It's really more about TERFs having a false sense of security around other women and male-exclusionary spaces. I haven't seen the numbers, but I'm pretty sure that's over-reliance on social norms to the point of magical thinking.

[@adorabell4253]

Grizabeebles VEry much so, especially since there is a lot of reporting of TERFs either covering up or full on saying that w on w assault and sexual assault doesn’t exist. And because of that there is an actual, real problem of abuse within the terf sphere among lesbian couples.

[@Grizabeebles]

@@adorabell4253 -- What's got me perplexed is that I know women personally who got out of bad situations at bars by hiding in the bathroom until more women came in and then exiting as part of the group. I also know women who fled abusive partners with the help of female friends because their partner was on alert when male friends and relatives were around. And this was only about 5 or so years ago. This stuff wasn't just common 50 years ago, it was ORDINARY. Remember, the 1950s were the "slap the secretary's ass for a laugh" days. I think the fear of losing "safe" physical spaces for individuals who feel threatened to retreat to is actually a VALID one that needs to be addressed. It's the "lifeboat" argument all over again. Yes, that argument was _specifically_ designed by a white supremacist to undermine counterarguments, but in this case, there really is a "limited number of seats" problem. There needs to be a replacement for the "panic room" aspect of public washrooms.

[@adorabell4253]

@@Grizabeebles I'm not talking about that though. No one is really questioning the idea that overall women are safer among other women. I'm talking about the fact that terf spaces have a history of ignoring or gaslighting victims of woman on woman violence and outright stating that women cannot rape other women because they don't have penises (terf definition of women).

[@Grizabeebles]

@@adorabell4253 -- I know you're not. But they ARE talking about it because their concerns (however irrational) aren't necessarily being addressed by YOUR arguments. It's the whole "who's on first" thing.

[@Grizabeebles]

@Diya -- If you're expecting an evidence-based answer then you don't fully understand the problem. I'm pretty sure the belief at play is that _irrational_ one that _cisgender_ women are kept safe from _males in general_ because of the social norm that males can't simply barge into the women's bathroom any time they please. You may not have noticed, but hookups generally don't happen in the women's washroom. That's because of norms surrounding "male-dominated" spaces and "female-dominated" spaces. Some TERFs feel like acknowledging gender fluidity makes those boundaries weaker. I think they're wrong, but I can understand that that won't make them any less afraid.

[@MsPedrojobim]

A 20 min video of someone talking about a book that never read. I just can’t 🤦🏻‍♂️...

[@hannamakela6989]

Love and respect! You are on the right side of history! This strange "respectability" of transphobia is surely a passing thing. Take courage (not that you need to be told, but I wanted to say it)! :) Thank you for posting!

[@snakes3425]

If this whole "TERF" thing is about Rowling being mad at her parents for not treating her like a girl then she's lost any respect I had for her, those are issues a therapist should sort out, targeting a group of people just because you're mad at how your parents raised you is unacceptable. News Flash Rowling: You're not God's gift to the world you're a person, a person who is not above being called out for their mistakes. Transpeople are human beings, not some boogeyman lurking in the closest, hopefully one day Rowling and others will see that.

[@meaganbailey5672]

Can I get some background on that? I hadn't heard it had anything to do with her parents but if so...that somehow makes it trashier

[@MLBlue30]

Id like to know more about that aspect myself.

[@snakes3425]

@@meaganbailey5672 MovieFlame did a biography of JK Rowling, saying her parents wanted her to be a son as oppose to a daughter, and she's on very bad terms with her father, to be honest it's just a feeling I have, that she's decided to take her anger at her father out on an already vulnerable community

[@meaganbailey5672]

@@snakes3425 ......yeah that makes it worse. She's in her 50s by now, she knows therapists are a thing who can help with this

[@ramywiles]

This coupled with her history of domestic abuse makes me think that she really is attempting to act in a way that reduces harm and prevents trauma, but she's just going about it in _such_ an awful way. I really do hope she can get some therapy to sort through all her baggage. Viewing the world through such a dark and hopeless lens where everyone with a penis is a predator is just... retraumatizing yourself on the daily, really.

[@sahiralopez6146]

JK Rowling putting herself a male writer persona is literally going against her stupid transphobic ‘points’

[@HereComesPopoBawa]

Consistency seems to require more introspection than most reactionaries can stomach.

[@jonni2317]

Robert Galbriath Heath used DBS in his gay conversion therapy experiments, If my pen name was accidentally 2/3s of his name I'd change my pen name immediately Edit: In hindsight I should have realized she was more like Delores Umbridge than Molly Weasley

[@wolight]

Wasn't he also big into eugenics? Or am I just lumping him in with a dozen other hack fraud psychologists?

[@jonni2317]

@@wolight I'm not sure about that but he experimented on prisoners and did a debunked study on weed where he said it gave people brain damage. and he also experimented on people with schizophrenia which I imagine was probably as successful as his conversion therapy. Imagine naming yourself after someone like that

[@wolftitanreading5308]

@@wolight ok heres a problem that guy died in 1999, he was obscure during that time when living in America. Rowling is an english woman how the hell would she have learned about this guy

[@pigeon2503]

​@@wolftitanreading5308 The internet my dude. JK researches a lot, and I mean a LOT. She was fantastic at research PRE INTERNET, I'm 100% positive her researching skills must be tenfold that of what it was in the mid-90s when first writing Harry Potter. Not saying the internet cannot be wrong, or that it's a replacement for proper study, but it is extremely easy to search something up and get thousands of results on anything in 0.11 seconds. If she is so into being a TERF, I can see her also being very homophobic. I 100% believe Dumbles was made gay just so she can get pats on the back and that's it. She has YET to follow through with it, despite Dumbledore's relationship with Grindelwald being so important in the Fantastic Beasts movies. I do not believe she was genuine when announcing Dumbledore's sexuality. Not anymore. Once upon a time I could put it to the publishers being weird about LGBT+ characters in children's lit, and she could only announce post-final book. However, she has demonstrated that she in fact does not care about adding positive representation. What does this tell you? I'll tell you what it tells me; it tells me that alongside JK's obvious transphobia, she is also very likely to be homophobic. Also I should ask you to look into the etymology of most of the Harry Potter characters. She has a habit of putting meaning into names. Remus Lupin, for example, basically means Werewolf McWolfie. Speaking of Remus; Have you read of how he was bitten? JK wrote about it for Pottermore. It's 100% an allegory for child rape, and the rapist is a man. She said herself that werewolves are an allegory for HIV. You know. The race of creatures that, aside from one Remus Lupin, are basically baddies in the books. You don't get any other positive warewolf representation (translation: you don't get any more positive HIV representation). HIV sufferers were largely the gay community and JK here is painting them mostly as rapists. Because that's what warewolves do right? Bite others uncontrollably? Even Remus can't help this. What is she trying to say about our Mr Everybody's Favorite Fictional Teacher As A Kid? So basically JK knew exactly what she was doing when she chose that name. It's possible that she might have even thought nobody would notice. As you said, he was an American and she's English and her readers probably don't look into conversion therapy. why would we notice? But we noticed.

[@wolftitanreading5308]

@@pigeon2503 Um ok first off a shit tone here but let's start with the Remus part, You want to know what Greyback represented it wasn't HIV he represented flat out blood transmitted desires, and back in the '80s there were people who would go out. There were people back in the '80s or so who would pass this shit. But also remember this the books are set in the 90's people with HIV were not treated well. They were still treated as Shit, and you know who treated werewolves like shit. Umbridge, she made a law that basically fucked them over. She screwed their lives over because of her hatred of none pure-blooded wizards. We never fully knew how werewolves were treated before than, Greyback was considered a vicious bastard. But it was clear that the werewolves only joined Voldemort so they could gain rights Voldemort offered them something they wanted. and again we've only met two werewolves. One who was a good man and a monster. Plus it was stated in the book Greyback went out of his way to pull this shit attacking kids and people to spread it out. As for Homophobic really again bullshit cause again she had stated Albus Dumbledore, one of the greatest wizards was gay. if she wanted to be homophobic she would've made a death eater gay, she would've made Micdungus Gay, or even argue Filch. an angry gay man. But no she made Albus Dumbledore a kind man who made mistakes and was the most human of her characters. As for his name you realize Remus was from one of the founders of Rome, who was raised by the Wolf goddess Lupa, so again it's cool fact.

[@TheNoWayOut85]

Every single author: researches their potential pen names to make sure they’re not problematic. Every single publisher: researches potential pen names proposed by authors and shares their findings with them to make sure they’re ok being published with that name’s legacy attached to them. JKR, a published author: I had no idea that I was using the exact same name of the father of conversion therapy, a practice that has caused death and lifelong trauma for countless LGBT+ people, I swear! Let me make it up to you by keep using that name over and over again! Ok sis… 🙄

[@yensid4294]

I'm beginning to think JKR is struggling with a lot of internalized misogyny. I wish she'd see a therapist & find a healthier way of excorcising her demons

[@daytonsouthall1137]

Nope y’all are wrong and overtly sensitive

[@sa-eedahtaliep4249]

#IStandWithJKR

[@ramywiles]

@@sa-eedahtaliep4249 #GoodForYouIDont

[@adnanbey4871]

Seriously? She's a well known feminist, in fact, even if you go by the idea she's transphobic and call her a TERF, that right there is admitting she's a feminist. A radical one, but still a feminist. See the problem? We're calling her a trans-exclusionary radical feminist, and calling her misogynistic in the same breath. This backlash is making less and less sense.

[@tmnt10000]

@carneliansky what exactly s is she projecting? that she knows simple biology.

[@therobotfromirobot]

It's kind of weird to think about how there are people acting like JKR's transphobia is a new thing people are learning about when I remember this story being big news? It's getting scarier to be a trans person out in the world, but people like you inspire me to stand up against that. If you can call this out, why can't the rest of us? Sending love and thanks for doing as much as you have

[@MedievalFluff]

I came to this channel as a 'confused but convinced i had to be a guy like i had always been told' trek fan, stayed for the amazing content, and now i can weather the jk rowling and terf transphobe storm together with you as a transgender woman finally on her path to living my truth

[@JessieGender1]

I’m honored to have been a part of your journey ❤️❤️❤️ sending love

[@AndrewMcClenning]

Don't criticise anything if you haven't consumed a piece of entertainment. Never assume anything.

[@anitanielsen1061]

"transphbia is an act" I met a transphobic lesbian who did't know that she was being transphobic. There is a lot of truth to this.

[@lcflngn]

Focussing on a person’s “best possible intent” as a policy is so helpful. You’re always excellently educational and way more than fair Jessie. By “more than fair” I don’t mean it’s good to back away from a fight, or that you do or indeed should. I mean you’re humanistic and fundamentally kind when at all possible, which is always a good thing. (Thanks for the kittens btw, it helps a lot! I need that for Trump videos, how can I get that?) Bottom line she has seriously made an enormous mistake and I’m just so sad for her lack of judgement and knowledge. I had still hoped she was smarter than this, and would take in better information by now, but apparently not. I can still picture a kind friend making her sit down to watch your vlogs & get some perspective. She would learn so much in just a few minutes! I just wish. Living in a bubble must be very weird is all I can charitably think at this point.

[@eme.261]

At a certain point, giving Rowling the benefit of the doubt is an exercise in futility. Her entering into the trans-dialogue and then choosing to take a stance that she had to have known would lead to controversy and then releasing a book that vilifies a member of the community is all very disquieting. She's coldly calculating and cruel.

[@artemisiatheta7549]

For my own sanity, I have to admit I couldn't watch; however, I will say something. J.K. Rowling is on the short list of people I hate. I try very hard not to hate others, even stupid and hurtful people, but Rowling took something away from my sister that she loved, and that I have trouble forgiving her for.

[@samanthapatrick4345]

I hope your sister's doing ok, take care of each other

[@artemisiatheta7549]

@@samanthapatrick4345 Thank you. It's been an awful year for us, but we're doing what we can to keep each other sane.

[@honest_bishop5905]

"Took something away" Lol

[@FVStageII-hg3dp]

And you're on the long list of people I hate.

[@whitelasagna6786]

Imagine hating someone you never met because they said something you don't agree with. Get a life.

[@Vivi2372]

I love your content but I'm genuinely sorry that people like JK Rowling keep doing things that require you to make videos about their transphobia. I get tired of people doing transphobic things and I'm CIS for gods sakes. 💜

[@paulheap1982]

@ULGROTHA no. Not really.

[@simongaudin2506]

Same here, there are plenty of more pressing things to get worked up about. This should be such a non issue for any one who is not transgender themselves and if it where I feel it would make life so much better for those for whom it is a personal and pressing issue. Live.

[@crimetimewithjess5366]

The book has zero to do with transgenders. Obviously you have not read much about it. The serial killer wears a woman's coat and wig before stalking his victims. The correct term as we all know is transvestite. Not transgender. And the notion that somehow a transvestite or a transgender person cannot be a serial killer is ludicrous. Evil comes in every shape and size and gender of human.

[@paulheap1982]

@dvp458 you must not understand what your talking about to make a comment like that.

[@simongaudin2506]

@@paulheap1982 indeed its just nomenclature & a useful for the purposes of this discussion. Its not an insult as dvp458 seems to think. & nothing do with respect or self respect I know my value and don't doubt it.

[@amortlepsg]

This never ends. Well, that's a book I won't buy.

[@jaxsetbertoncarlism8873]

Because of a booktuber with a clickbait title who explains a book that came a day ago with sentences that all begin with 'apparently'? Why don't you also let others read the books you DO want, for you?

[@antoniobeardall6520]

So, instead you would prefer to judge the book before even seeing the cover? You will listen to other people who did not READ the book? Wow, way to be independent. Or is thinking for yourself overrated these days?

[@MatthewCaunsfield]

I really think you've given her enough benefit of the doubt at this stage

[@GekkeGeitjes]

By now I am not surprised anymore be her garbage, I am just sad she chooses to use her talent and influence for this type of bigotry

[@DeathRayGraphics]

Same! (Oh wait... were you talking about JK or Jessie?)

[@DeathRayGraphics]

@sos sos That is simply a meaningless insult at this point.

[@GekkeGeitjes]

@@DeathRayGraphics Who do you think?

[@DeathRayGraphics]

@sos sos Again: empty insults are not helpful to this discussion, I’m not sure what you think Vaush had “debunked”. He is not a doctor, and once you get past questions of physical science, everything is only opinion: yours, his, mine.

[@dashfatbastard]

@@DeathRayGraphics JK, ya big silly!!!

[@Eknightengale]

She's rather quickly, turned into that one aunt who's overstayed their Thanksgiving welcome.

[@user-ri2qn4qo4k]

For real - go home Auntie Joanne, you're drunk and acting bigoted again. 😖

[@jesusgarcia5197]

You pulled all of this just from one line in the book? The killer wearing a wig and a woman's coat is something that makes a brief appearance. 💀

[@amandaa8472]

Exactly! I mean, I'm not defending other stuff Rowling has said and done, but in this case it's just people looking for the smallest thing to blow up and complain about.

[@tbbcch1039]

No. He pulls this of what other ppl said about the book. In the first minute he already admits to not having read it. That makes everything that comes afterwards pointless an invalid. I honestly stoped watching right there and then.

[@ramywiles]

@@tbbcch1039 She. Don't be a dick just because you don't like what she's saying.

[@rosso609]

@@ramywiles and she shouldnt be a dick about an author when she hasn't read the book. (pun unintended)

[@marky437]

god forbid if they read The Mermaids Singing and funny how they have not gone after that book either? Obviously not the flavour of the month.

[@mawehe63]

I really did not believe it was a real book when I read about it, I thought I was reading an Onion article making fun of JK. it's just sooo offensive and insensitive, it had to be on purpose.

[@daytonsouthall1137]

If you read the book, it’s not offensive at all and has nothing to do with trans people.

[@jaxsetbertoncarlism8873]

Clearly you should stop reading those articles, or at least use your sense. It's a doorstopper of 900 pages and released on 15.9. and yet you trust articles from wee dawn of the same day saying it's transphobic? One of a dozen suspects has among many other characterestic features women disguises to abduct women. That's it.

[@yhyh8990]

The two comments above me^

[@sailorstarlight0107]

@@daytonsouthall1137 its literally just one tiny part of the book and was never mentioned again. He dresses as a woman to kill one person. I cant tell people how to feel but it really wasn't a big deal like everyone made it out too be.

[@selenalulamoon1167]

Its because of what shes been saying lately is what makes it transphobic. Shes makes it clear she thinks trans woman are just cis men in dresses!

[@CreatingCo]

It is horrific to me that not only does she continually hammer her harmful viewpoints home but now she is publishing fiction that is actively promoting the harmful things she believes. I know all writers do that to some extent...whether their beliefs are harmful or not, but it just seems especially poignant given all the things she's said recently, like you mentioned. There's no way to separate the two.

[@madoxisonjackson5323]

I've been waiting for your take on this! I remember J.K Rowling was always citing the excuse for her liking transphobic tweets was research for the book she was writing, so no surprise she released transphobic trash. Its clear from her manifesto that cis men in dresses are her ideas/fears of trans woman; hopefully one day she'll reliese her cheap mystery doesnt reflect real people.

[@conall9415]

If J.K Rowling is saying men can't be woman, then I'm going to take a stand and say she can't identify as a man when writting her books.

[@daytonsouthall1137]

She never said that.

[@christopherb501]

@@daytonsouthall1137 Oh, please. Regardless of specifics, if she disbelieves trans identities as sincere, you really think she believes that _fluid_ gender identities are real?

[@daytonsouthall1137]

Christopher B she doesn’t tho. People are too sensitive. Trans women are trans women not women

[@christopherb501]

@@daytonsouthall1137 Trans women are women which includes trans women who are women. Cis women and trans women are both women. Knock it off.

[@daytonsouthall1137]

Christopher B lmao no. Trans women do not have periods. And they also don’t need to be talking all these cis woman’s jobs

[@onlyAerik]

so many content creators. "she doesn't actually hate trans people, they've just absorbed a couple ignorant beliefs and are extrapolating from them." DO YOU GET THAT THEY JUST HATE TRANS PEOPLE YET? Robert Galerath is intentionally tied to a "conversion therapy" doctor, @jessiegender . She's clearly saying "transitioning is like conversion therapy." again. Gailbraith. conversion therapy admininstrator i.e. person who literally tortures LGBT people. that's not coincidence. it's dog whistling. It's just like when racist people say "13/50" or "1488" edit: I'm adding this after Jesse gave my comment a heart, but this needs to be said: this is JK's "turner diaries."

[@Skuffy777]

You're nuts. The hatred is entirely yours.

[@gabrielpaquette6764]

Please ignore the other comment, you are right, she is dog whistling.

[@ellesontlabete2669]

Gabrielle Paquette more like dog airhorning.

[@HereComesPopoBawa]

@@Skuffy777 - Or is the projection yours? @onlyAerik didn't say that they hate Rowling. Why do you seem invested in assuming that they do?

[@jackriver8385]

Yeah she keeps piling on more and more transphobic dogwhistles.. I'm not sure if I'd equate it to the Turner diaries but I haven't read either so I don't know.

[@hitsujikumasheepbear967]

I really really need a hug now! I tried my best to at least enjoy fluffy hp fanfictions but I found myself feeling empty, most of the time. To me it feels like as if that magical wondrous world, was invaded by dementors - I feel so cold. I thought no one could take the magic away. I thought I was always welcomed home. She let us down. She let down the most vulnerable people, in her own fandom. I was ready to welcome her back. But now with that new book of hers, I am not sure how that is supposed to work. I am autistic and I am trans ftn (Neutrois) But I am not a trans women and if this is how I am feeling, than how awful must all the trans women of our fandom feel? This whole matter just breaks my heart.

[@hitsujikumasheepbear967]

@mosamosi *hugs back* I think it is really good advice! I actually tried to do so before. (*´♡`*)ゞ But the hp fandom helpt me a lot in my life. It is hard to let it go. It helped me with my depression, helped me with my sadness when I missed my father that died when I was 12 (family fics are great!), it helped me realize that I am autistic (cuz there are fanfics written by autistics, where the characters are autistic - mostly Harry, Luna or Mr. Weasley) and leading to me having a diagnosis, which means I can get help now, when I need it (which I do). The fandom helped me so much - I didn't want to let it go. But you are right, it is not what it used to be. Not because the authors aren't great but because j.k. took the save feeling away from it. The days/weeks/months, where I have no energy (it could be an autistic burnout but I am guessing it to be chronic fatigue syndrome) and can barely move, I used to read hp fanfics on my tablet, lying in bed, till I fall asleep. I can do that because the fandom is huge, there's always something I haven't read jet. I don't know any other fandom where this would be possible. On days like today, where I am better, I don't have this problem. I can either research something I am interested in online or be on youtube or watch some of my fav Anime. But to me research and Yt are both very energy intensive, animes come next and then reading on the tablet. At times where I can't use the tablet, it's no matter cuz I feel barely existent at this time, so I am not even getting bored. So in short: I really need another huge fandom; to feel safe in, understood and of course very importantly, one that can conquer my boredom! Wow~ if this isn't an inappropriate long and personal response, then I don't know what is. I am very sorry. But also Thank you ! (つˆ⌣ˆ)つ

[@skimmedmilk5520]

@@hitsujikumasheepbear967 bruh that book is not transphobic..

[@raffaelm6558]

When I saw the news about the book's content I was honestly speechless. In a way that I was shocked that this was a new low and that all that she has done recently suddenly seemed like insidious publicity and marketing for this book and its harmful tired trope. I have had discussions with people who instantly assume that JK can't hold any of those negative views because "Twitter doesn't know nuance" and "she has always been an ally". I'm sorry, this is not ally behaviour. This is the opposite of allyship.

[@wolftitanreading5308]

Read the book first cause its a mystery ita usually a twist

[@raffaelm6558]

@@wolftitanreading5308 I read by now that the whole thing is a small part of the book apparently but at this point, I don't really care anymore. There is still her very misinformed and dangerous "manifesto" that Jessie has talked about here too which makes me not want to buy any of her books or support her.

[@wolftitanreading5308]

@@raffaelm6558 So how can I take you seriously, if you don't actually read the whole book and get the actual context. Why should I trust you, because of book's like these runs on twist and turns? I wouldn't talk shit about a Rick Riordan book (And I really hate Riordan.) Unless I actually read the book and knew what I'm talking about. So I suggest reading the actual book before you claim its Trash. So, I suggest check the book out, and read it, before you actually judge it. But I can respect if you don't read the book Understandable not every book is a person's book. But I say you can't talk shit or claim its horrible, Unless you actually read the book. All cause the Writer, has some issues.

[@raffaelm6558]

@@wolftitanreading5308 I admit that my immediate reaction (which sparked the original comment) was based on the information I had then. I also never said it's trash. Rowling is a good writer which makes the situation even worse. She doesn't just have issues but she openly posted a very dangerous, misinformed and transphobic "manifesto" which has since then become basically the holy text of transphobic people and has even been mentioned by law makers in the US who follow anti-trans agendas. As Jessie says, maybe Rowling thinks she's doing the right thing but she severely hurts people who don't have anywhere near her powerful platform. I base my decision not to support her with my money solely on that, so even if the book isn't what I originally suspected it was based on the information I had, I wouldn't buy it anyway. I also won't watch further Fantastic Beasts movies etc. And I'm not saying that anyone who does is a horrible person or a transphob or whatever. It's a personal choice that I make because I don't want to support her anymore.

[@wolftitanreading5308]

@@raffaelm6558 The part is though the one thing I will say, I don't blame Rowling For that lawmaker, in fact, I'm madder at the people getting mad at Rowling instead of getting after that paticular lawmaker. As I said I respect your decision hell I respect a person willing to give up Harry potter if they can't support Rowling, more then the people who try to push her out of the book series. I find them morons. I look at Rowling as a grey person not fully good or terrible, cause it was one of the things that were stated in her books. So yeah, I see she does bad things but I also seen the good, and I find the good she's done outweighs the bad. But I admit I'm a bias person, I try to see the best in people, and I Like figuring out what leads to people in this situation. But that also leads me to Distrust most people, till I actually know them. But I would suggest giving it a read, Hell CHeck it out at your local Library, Can't give her money that way or even Donate the money you could've used to buy the book to a local Charity to help people. What I do. But as i said I understand why some people are annoyed but Should read the book to get the context to see what Actually happens. Please have an excellent day and a good life.

[@Heffeth]

When I heard the news I started to doubt that JKR even has any real believes or if everything she did the past few months is pure calculation to sell more books. It doesn't change anything about the harm she has inflicted on the trans community. But if I were one of those people still following her, I would doubt if she is really on "my side", if she really argues from a point of a "concerned woman" who just "wants the best". This essay of hers was a masterclass in manipulation, I wouldn't be surprised at all if she played everyone just to gain whatever money or attention she craves. I'm not surprised any more, like you said. I'm just annoyed that some people still act surprised. Keep up the good work! I admire you for still putting up with this sh**.

[@theresisty7122]

You are so gracious in this video--the embodiment of "when they go low, we go high." I hope someone shows it to Rowling. She's got to realize she's basically turned herself into Aunt Petunia, right?

[@mayakashisagan4025]

when I first heard about it I thought it was a book written decades ago before HP, I was so grossed out

[@amortlepsg]

Ugh, thank god it's not that.

[@mysticthemanakete]

My love of Potter died the day she created a magical concept that specifically reinforces bioessentialism. A condition cannot 'only affect women' if trans women are not included in that group, and if it only affects the female-assigned, it doesn't ONLY affect women, because NOT ALL AFAB PEOPLE ARE WOMEN.

[@mixxuie]

@ULGROTHA :: the girl’s dorm in griffindor tower- when Harry and Ron try to go up the stairs to get Hermione the stairs turn into a slide. If I remember they talk about it likes it’s a regular occurrence, and also turns into a slide if a ‘boy’ polyjuices themself into a girl.

[@BeastGuardian]

@Lwandile M afab is an acronym for Assigned Female At Birth

[@mixxuie]

Lwandile M :: Assigned Female At Birth

[@OllamhDrab]

@@mixxuie Well, nothing says that *spell* is 'bioessentialist' about the triggers, to be fair. Especially if polyjuice doesn't fool it with 'biology.' (ie, nothing says it'd do something to any transgirls assigned to that dorm.) It would actually simply be a lot more typical of actual boys to actually raid girls' dorms for trophies or sneaking peeks or... to throw other boys into girls' spaces to insult their 'manhood,' (That was pretty damn common , they'd kind of expect gals in there smoking to tear nerds apart like maenads just cause some jocks *threw* them through the doors. *Those* patterns you might well expect. Cause they actually happen in actual schools. What *doesn't* happen is aggressive males thinking they're going to pull one over on gals by pretending to be trans. *That's* pretty much a right wing hobgoblin meant to demonize trans people to enforce their conformity on *all* of us. Funny enough, whatever Rowling's up to, I tend to figure on a bit of reflection that life would actually go a lot *smoother* for trans people in the 'Wizarding World' ....cause they have all kinds of artifacts and other means to find out what someone's about, like Sorting Hats, Goblets of Fire, etc, and all *kinds* of Transfiguration magic to do something about it, possibly permanently. (I have similar ideas about Star Trek, really. If you can basically just 'scan for trans brains and neurology' and the physical end is essentially magical, you'd basically *expect* trans people to be able to get sorted out pretty early and without a lot of drama or even being noticed or thinking about it much in later life, never mind being any too traumatized about an accident of birth variation in humans or anything, if you can fix it with less fuss than , say, like a simple and very non-politicized stomach defect I was born with caused. (They did mostly fix it surgically, no one complained there. Can't say they got it entirely right, but it was basically 60s tech then. :) ) Anyway, I just figure that in worlds of sufficiently-advanced magic or technology, you might not even *notice* the trans people. (Maybe JKR doesn't think this, but if they got a staircase that can figure out who belongs somewhere, who says that's about someone's birth anatomy in the first place? Better than jocks interrupting smoking or makeup sessions cause they think some kid's a 'sissy' anyway. :) ) Basically, you'd expect worlds that can do those things wouldn't make trans kids have to stick out so in the first place. Everyone should be free to be weird on their *own* merits. Why suffer about biology/anatomy,or make your kids do, if you don't have to?

[@sandyg4646]

Bioessentialism? Like what, that only females can get cervical cancer?

[@Fashionlifestyle_Official]

Thank you for sharing Jessie!Hope everybody here becomes successful on KZbin :)

[@kingofthegundam7974]

It's just straight up evil on her part to do this. I'm still astounded just how far the rabbit hole Rowling went on her transphobia, even knowing she was a bigoted person.

[@JimPlaysGames]

I have to say I admire the level of patience and understanding you're showing in the face of this kind of shit. Trying to give the person dehumanising you the benefit of the doubt is something I'm not sure I could do. I think it is important to try to move away from the cycle of outrage, as hard as that might be. But like you said, it's really difficult to imagine any reasonable or good motives for Rowling's behaviour here. Where is the epidemic of trans women assaulting cis women that she seems so worried about?

[@miaththered]

Oh ffs... *tired face goes here*

[@definitelybrenna6978]

Just so you know: Norman Bates is dressed as a woman because he was guilty of committing matricide and the woman is his mom. He tries to keep his mom alive. I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with gender, it was just someone who has to live the rest of his life knowing that he killed his own mother. (Referring to the picture 14:25)

[@eleanor7]

It was one thing when she was transphobic because everyone is entitled to their opinions, even ones filled with hate and mistrust. With her twitter comments, her backing other transphobics, and her essays. It's wasn't great and it made her rightfully canceled for a lot of people. But now she is going full force in using her wealth, power, influence, and talent to actually go after trans people. Which shows that's she is more evil than she already was. She's not Harry Potter, she's Voldemort.

[@Avistew]

Thanks for the fluffy kittens. They help a bit.

[@brianapereira2694]

The more I hear about You Know Who, the more I wonder if she's really a good writer. If she has to draw from Earthsea and Silence of the Lambs for tropes or character archetypes, then it does make me question how much she can make up worlds and stories completely on her own. I mean, she *had* some good points, but that could also just her being a mediocre writer and us filling in the gaps? Like, I remember how Malfoy and Ron were BOTH racist towards the house elves. I thought she did that on purpose to show that anyone can be bigoted....But now, I wonder if that was accidental on her part and I just made the point for her in my head. Especially since she hasn't addressed some of the more racist/xenophobic aspects of her writing.

[@haruhisuzumiya6650]

he who must not be named is Hitler?

[@brianapereira2694]

@@haruhisuzumiya6650 lol no I'm talking about Just Kidding Rollingonthefloorlaughing

[@sael91]

I really wish JKR and people like her were as kind, generous, and thoughtful with their words and expressions as you consistently have been. I really wish they wouldn't consistently do these things that steal yours and others' time away from talking about the things you love instead of having to defend the validity of your existence. Thank you for putting the time, energy, and work into these things you really shouldn't have to put so much into. On a less depressing and frustrating note, that earring design is really cool!

[@iain9757]

The award drama with her happened the same week after the tv show based off these books had a new series on bbc one. She either has a terrible sense of timing or know she’ll get more sales for people trying to “crush the woke” but buying her book to support her

[@gryffindorgeorgi]

Thanks for this video. As eloquent as ever. My heart is truly broken by JKR. I have used HP as a tool when working with abused kids. Now I am at a loss. I love my trans friends and family too much to support HP in any way.

[@yiorgos00]

0:41 "I haven't read it"

[@gretchenbadger3158]

Thank you, Jessie, for this video. I'm so sorry that these things continue to come up that you have to deal with. I can tell it's taking a toll on you, so my biggest hope is that you're finding moments of self care these days! I also have to say that when I saw all of this about the new JKR book, my first reaction was that she stoked the embers and flames of transphobia online and emboldened the anti "cancel culture" community online all for the sake of bringing buzz to her new book. JKR has burnt through all of my grace for her in this. I'm a cis straight woman, but JKR has affected people I love in such a harmful way over the last 6 months that I am at the end of my rope with her. I can't assume best intent anymore unfortunately. HP will always be a part of my story, of who I am. But the author, in my opinion, has died. This has been exhausting. Thanks again for all you're doing. Drink something bubbly for me tonight, congratulations on another great video!

[@johnsnow5968]

The Orson Scott Card of our time.

[@adrianomaly1760]

Thanks for making this video! Best possible intent really does only extend so far.

[@lenastorm6280]

This breaks my heart. „Harry Potter“ was my childhood. It still is a big part of my life. It saved me and gave me hope, in a very dark time of my life. To realize, that J. K. is this awful, cruel and intolerant. That she doesn’t even care, how much she hurts people... I can’t even explain how much this hurts me.

[@averiemadden3327]

Ty coming out so quickly with your content. Make sure you’re taking care of you💗✨

[@ShadowMagick1979]

Would love to hear your reasoning this story was expressly transphobic but I can’t bring myself to watch something from someone who specifically states they have not read the item they are offering an opinion on. I can’t stand this side of J.K. but I would at least request that people offering their opinion on a topic actually have in this case read the book. You are basing your entire opinion on the extremely limited synopsis’s and/or other peoples options which might also be based on not having read the book. There is an argument to be made that you don’t want to support an author that you personally disagree with. But by having a less then complete understanding of the entire book you might actually be driving people to buy her book to see if it is as bad as your speculative assessment. That would actually go to hurt your cause. In my case I would probably get the audiobook and then request an exchange if I disagreed with its message. Not to be confused with getting it specifically knowing that I will 100% return it but with the understanding that I would hear them out and assess the situation after hearing the entire work. By you not actually having listened or read the book I would just write your opinions off as just more outrage culture. Even though I only know of you from other KZbinrs their opinion of you makes me think that you would add a valuable voice to the any discussion that you care to join. But you cripple your own message by stating you haven’t read the book. It is essence you are only forming your opinion of this specific book on a past (recent controversy) and a click bate article. I would hope you were better then that because now I have to decide if I’m going to live with a half completely cliff notes version of a book report or do I get to book to see if the outrage is actually justifiable.

[@Thedeadjoker666]

Searching KZbin for an actual review of this book is harder than it should be as it's flooded with people who hasn't read it. They just don't seem to understand that they give the book even more publicity. Why market something controversial when you can let the media do it for you?

[@ammalyrical5646]

Check Blaire White out. She's trans and actually read the book :) Decent review as well

[@xilj4002]

@@ammalyrical5646 Blaire White is ... she's like those black people who are touted in conservative media because they bash BLM and support the police. So anything she says you need to take with a grain of salt, she supports a bunch of very problematic people and ideals.

[@ammalyrical5646]

@@xilj4002 I'm genuinely curious which people you're talking about. And I'm not going to take someone with a grain of salt just because we clash. That way I'll never how to understand people. I want every side of the conversation not just one

[@ammalyrical5646]

@@xilj4002 And just curious but what do you think about Kat Blaque and Rose of Dawn?

[@13LostandFound]

I really love that eye shadow color, this video is great ofc but I’m mesmerized by how pretty the blue looks on you

[@ohmydinosare]

This whole Rowling saga has really worn me down, every time there's more of it I'm never that surprised at this point, but we get everyone jumping out of the woodwork to celebrate whatever awful thing she's had to say, to dig out the stand with jk hashtag, celebrities who have no firsthand experience of being at the recieving end putting in their ill-informed opinions, over and over again, it's just a constant reminder that transphobia seems to now be the most socially acceptable bigotry, and it's so depressing.

[@tabreagilbert249]

If you read her manifesto which (I just read s/o to the person who linked it) It makes sense what she says. it says this when referring to The Whole trans woman is a man in a dress and mensuration -“But, as many women have said before me, ‘woman’ is not a costume. ‘Woman’ is not an idea in a man’s head. (Referring to the fact that woman are not how men perceive them due to sexism) ‘Woman’ is not a pink brain, a liking for Jimmy Choos or any of the other sexist ideas now somehow touted as progressive. Moreover, the ‘inclusive’ language that calls female people ‘menstruators’ and ‘people with vulvas’ strikes many women as dehumanising and demeaning. I understand why trans activists consider this language to be appropriate and kind, but for those of us who’ve had degrading slurs spat at us by violent men, it’s not neutral, it’s hostile and alienating.- she simply saying it’s dehumanizing to Just narrow a woman and her experiences down to just menstrating or a person who gives birth - because lately there has been a lot of talk about just calling woman people who menstruate or as individuals who give birth to be sensitive of trans men ( who from what I understand don’t even want their period and some who take T don’t get it anymore) if anything she comes to the defense of trans folks because she knows what it’s like to be Demarginalize she seemingly just hates how it would dehumanize trans men and women who can menstruate or choose not to give birth. just think about it if someone started to call you a birth giver because it was to sensitive to simply say woman - it take a lot more to be a woman and when she talks about trans kids she’s simply saying that it needs to be more regulated because theirs an increased about of detransitioning young adults who don’t get the therapy they need to confirm their dysphoria and can sometimes confuse their own mental illness as gender confusion or their sexuality it’s not that hard or pay attention to watch a few Detranstioners videos and you’ll understand. I recommend Elle Palmer (some of them were given hormones without a good mental evaluation) and I have met people who are gay who are pushed to transition by some trans activist, because they don’t fit the stereotype of gay male like they’re more masculine or overly feminine and theirs a rare few who are just afraid of just being gay when I was in high school young girls would identify as trans because they thought it was trendy or cool imagine if they were allowed to medically transition. I understand & BELIVE trans people are the gender they identify you guys are valid. but there is alway going to be differences between a trans woman and a bio woman they’re still valid and still woman but they never had to go through a period in their child hood as an over sexualized - or told to cover up to not entice men or picked on because they grew Breast and yes I know trans men might share the same experience as me - but the the same could be said as bio men- just imagine being trans and narrowed down as a man who menstruates or opts out of giving birth it’s offensive it makes those who are bio women who can’t do these things or don’t want to as lesser and as for the lesbian woman I don’t know if you’ve seen this lately but there has been a lot of saying going around that if you aren’t. Attracted to trans woman and men your transphobic ( im not talk about obvious transphobia I’m talking about politely decline a trans person because you’re attracted to someone who is cisgender, there is Difference between preference and being rude about it. I’m talking about the non rude kind) which is why a lot of lesbians are pushing back because activist are saying that if your a lesbian and a trans woman hasn’t achieved secondary sex characteristics you still have to be attracted to them in the same sense imagine if A cis woman said the same thing and gay men were forced to sleep with straight women when they’re not attracted to them. when she’s referring to the article she pokes fun because they only talk about identity of tran men women and Nb as people who menstruate to not be offensive when it actually is by narrowing down a sex by just that.

[@exovit6348]

the villain was not transgender. read the book like Blaire White did. she also isnt transphobic

[@Radom3mel]

I agree with this comment and even if the villain was trans, so what? Why can't a villain is trans? There books that have a gay character be a villain and does that harm the LGBT community? No cause it's just fiction. Does that mean that villains can only be white cis males? People need to chill out, it's getting beyond a joke especially when there's bigger things that go on around the world.

[@salamander4173]

@@Radom3mel Agree 100%! Why can't there be a trans that is a villain? All the "cisgender" villains in literature and there can't be one trans? I thought trans people want equality...

[@marky437]

I'm suprised they havent kicked of over the book "The Mermaids Singing" where the serial killer is a Trans woman and kills straight men in a really horrific fashion.

[@marky437]

@@salamander4173 look at the current case of Barbie Kardashian.

[@legacyoflore1597]

You articulated these issues really well. For all Rowling tries to paint herself as inclusive and understanding, she is overtly attacking the trans community. And she is not even considering that her words could possibly be harmful (and indeed are harmful) with all her influence and status.

[@ziggylaurie2268]

READ THE BOOK!

[@O-pm8bb]

Ok I know this topic is a bit old, but a lot of people keep comparing JK Rowling's book to silence of the lambs or dress to kill... Now here's the thing, yes this movies are BAD trans representation, however let's talk about dress to kill, Brian de Palma hasn't written essays against the Rights of transgender people, he hasn't spoken out against trans people, he hasn't attacked trans people personally and he has started he's glad his movies are well relieved among the LGBT overall. Yes he has caused harm with his depiction of trans people but it is merely accidental, Brian de Palma didn't make this movie with the intent to demonize trans people in mind. jk Rowling on the other hand KNOWS what she's doing and she knows very well her book is a propaganda book Wich has an agenda behind it.

[@Shadow1Yaz]

As a close friend to a drag queen, I AM APPALLED by this book’s premise! I don’t have words to describe how this makes me feel.

[@discobear5752]

Apparently the man in the book was dressed as a man except for lipstick, a wig, and an overcoat - and he only did that for ONE of his victims, not for all. I wouldn't equate that with someone in drag. www.spectator.co.uk/article/j-k-rowling-s-latest-novel-isn-t-transphobic-

[@cringeproof100]

Great video Jessie. You're absolutely right that the trope is super cliché and offensive. I've only heard of one male serial killer who dressed in women's clothes (can't remember the name, sorry). Those issues are separate... even if they weren't for the criminal themselves, they SHOULD be for the JUSTICE system and society! Trying to diagnose or figure out anyone's identity or gender presentation is a slippery slope towards fascism, imho, and it is unacceptable to think that someone's gender presentation is connected to their criminal actions. There is absolutely nothing nefarious about trans people or crossdressing or gender fluidity... and it is so ridiculous and dangerous for Rowling to continue this narrative! 😡

[@totallyanonymousbish9599]

He used typical women's clothes for a brief moment to disguise himself😩 it's not even part of his general murderous behavior like stop has anyone here even read the book? Sensitive kids, really...

[@NarutovsLuffyGirl]

My first time watching your channel. Sending my love your way ❤

[@ezequielvillarreal4427]

Y'all are reaching, this character isn't trans... If you guys think that a man in a wig and a woman's cloak is a trans woman than that's your own problem.

[@christopherb501]

This kind of thing is commonplace trans coding for villainous characters, whether or not the writers are actively malicious, whether or not they're specifically transphobic or not. It's still an issue.

[@ezequielvillarreal4427]

@@christopherb501 the key word is "trans coding" a man in a wing and a woman's cloak is not trans. Its a disguise. I see where you're coming from, but by you saying this you invalidate trans woman in general. Trans woman are women not men in wigs in women's cloaks. This MAN is a killer and a fictional character. And also even if he was a trans woman (which he's not) why can't trans woman be villians too?

[@christopherb501]

@@ezequielvillarreal4427 Coding still reacts to and affects people's perceptions. For most people that haven't ever looked into the nuances of trans identities - which _is_ most people - they go off of what common perceptions exist, by which I mean, they think that "transvestite" and "transgender" (and "transsexual") are interchangeable and equally appropriate, for "perverted", "deviant" people that are generally worth deriding at best and existentially dreading at worst. Considering the greater awareness at present of non-cis identities, continuing to employ such tropes blindly is irresponsible at best and malicious at worst, and given Rowling's track record, it's hard to not see this employment erring more on the latter. If this trope is employed without any nuance, or other representation present to counter-balance it, than it's just more of the same. Which is to say, vilifying people who don't present "properly", as if nonstandard gender identity is something to be feared. In short: she still sucks.

[@ezequielvillarreal4427]

@@christopherb501 I see where you're coming from. However this isn't meant to be a book about LGBTQ representation at all. There's about one line on the book that talks about this man's disguise as a woman. And going off about what you said in regards to common perception, instead of thinking people are dumb we should educate and tell people who are not well versed in trans identity issues, that a man in a wig is not a trans person (unless they identity as one, but that's a whole other issue) instead of just flat out saying something is transphobic. In conclusion this is not a transphobic book at all. And I'm not really that informed on the "transphobia" J.K Rowling has been a part of to be completely honest.

[@christopherb501]

@@ezequielvillarreal4427 ...just one thing from all that...what WOULD convince you of transphobia from her at this point? Does she have to donate a billion dollars to Drumpf or Orban or something? Does she have to murder someone bare-handed?

[@jackmonaghan8477]

The transphobic warning signs were always there in Rowling's literary work. First there was the "boys are less trustworthy than girls" passage in 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' (playing the "boys/men are naturally aggressors" trope) and then there was that moment in her 2014 book 'The Silkworm' where the main character verbally threatens a trans woman with prison. The worst part is she (like most cis, het, white billionaires) has such a saviour complex that she's blind to the fact that she's really, REALLY in the wrong.

[@erin_3569]

Don't forget her depiction of Rita Skeeters

[@beatrixwickson8477]

It just really worries me how many news outlets and commentators are giving their take on a book they haven't read. Other people here have said as much and I could get into how the character Creed only wears wears a wig and a woman's coat because it makes him seem less threatening and only occurred by accident because he steals women's underwear as a fetish and one time stole a coat. Spoiler, he's not even the villain. But honestly the thing that bothers me most is that all the secondhand reviews started from the one by the Telegraph. It was that source that used the word transvestite not the book, it editorialised with the line "the moral of the story is never trust a man in a dress" not the book and I don't want to go all tinfoil hat but the Telegraph is so transphobic and anti-sjw alarmist that I can't say the possibility that it was done on purpose to create trouble and drum up transphobic sentiment is out of the question and using the trans community to do the leg work for them. Not that Rowling needs help to upset people but personally I would characterise most of what she has said as a mix of some wrong-headed ideas, support for a blatantly transphobic person who spins a good counter-narrarive for someone not thinking critically (which if it's not clear anyone just jumping on this book without looking into it is also guilty of) and some genuine concern for real issues handled tactlessly. But I don't think she has the same agenda as the bile filed newspaper. So yeah, she's not innocent and undeserving of criticism, but convict her of the crimes she's actually guilty of. I think she might have read some bad sources and shouldn't get online after the third Chardonnay but don't be guilty of the same crime because your cause is noble and just. Because that's exactly why she thinks it's okay for her too.

[@thezenlu]

I needed this comment! There are other comments that question the fervor and vicious animosity towards the Strike books, but this comment here is the most eloquent and thorough at highlighting the problem with these "hot takes". Thank you for your level headed look at the subject matter, especially with a take that sides with the mob in essence, but not in vitriol.

[@beatrixwickson8477]

@@thezenlu take heart, friend. Nuance still exists! Lol

[@nicnaknoc]

The obligatory random comment for the algorithm ... these are always left with gratitude for your content