Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is being criticized by GLAAD and other LGBTQ advocacy groups for defending a researcher who was fired for making transphobic comments.
On Thursday, Rowling tweeted her support of Maya Forstater, a researcher who — according to the Independent, lost her job as a visiting fellow at the Centre for Global Development after tweeting a series of comments saying that men could not change their biological sex.
“Dress however you please. Call yourself whatever you like. Sleep with any consenting adult who’ll have you. Live your best life in peace and security,” Rowling tweeted Thursday. “But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real? #IStandWithMaya #ThisIsNotADrill.”
Rowling was the top trending topic on Twitter Thursday and was the target of backlash from some “Harry Potter” fans. GLAAD and The Human Rights Campaign were among the LGBTQ groups that condemned Rowling’s comments.
“J.K. Rowling, whose books gave kids hope that they could work together to create a better world, has now aligned herself with an anti-science ideology that denies the basic humanity of people who are transgender,” Anthony Ramos, GLAAD’s head of talent, said in a statement. “Trans men, trans women, and non-binary people are not a threat, and to imply otherwise puts trans people at risk. Now is the time for allies who know and support trans people to speak up and support their fundamental right to be treated equally and fairly.”
“Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Non-binary people are non-binary. CC: JK Rowling,” the Human Rights Campaign — another LGBTQ advocacy group — tweeted.
According to the Independent, Judge James Tayler decided that Forstater’s comments were “incompatible with human dignity and fundamental rights of others” after she was accused of using language that was considered “offensive and exclusionary.” Forstater’s lawyers said via the Independent that her employers would’ve been legally prevented from dismissing her or their staff for expressing their view on LGTBQ rights had she won the case.
Dress however you please.
Call yourself whatever you like.
Sleep with any consenting adult who’ll have you.
Live your best life in peace and security.
But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real? #IStandWithMaya #ThisIsNotADrill— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) December 19, 2019
Trans women are women.
Trans men are men.
Non-binary people are non-binary.CC: JK Rowling.
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) December 19, 2019
.@jk_rowling has aligned herself with an anti-science ideology that denies the basic humanity of people who are transgender. Trans and non-binary people are not a threat to women, and to imply otherwise puts trans people at risk.
— GLAAD (@glaad) December 19, 2019