"I’ve now received so many death threats I could paper the house with them, and I haven’t stopped speaking out."
-J.K. Rowling
#freespeechmatters 21.12.2021
Author J.K. Rowling is once again under cancel culture’s critical scope after tweeting a story from The Times titled “Absurdity of police logging rapists as women” with her own take on the matter presented in the article: “War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength. The Penised Individual Who Raped You Is Woman.”
No stranger to controversy, Rowling began trending on Monday morning, Dec. 13, with accusations that she’s filled with hate and transphobia. One blue-checkmark criticized her politics and “childlike understanding” of feminism. Another user suggested Rowling’s remarks identify all trans-women as rapists.
If you actually take the time to read and understand Rowling’s remarks, she is in no way attacking the transgender community. The first portion of her tweet is quoting George Orwell’s “1984.” The novel depicts a dystopian future in America where the government controls everything, including the language. Rowling is challenging the fact that the police identified the rapist in this case as a “woman.”
In the past, she has made it abundantly clear that she does not subscribe to the notion that trans-women are women. She recognizes their place in society, and is dedicated to treating everybody humanely, but she does not believe in a multi-gender construct. The mob isn't upset with what she said, they're angry with the fact that she keeps saying it after being collectively told to shut up.
Why is this not okay? We as a people are never going to universally agree on everything. J.K. Rowling is a successful author, best known for her Harry Potter works. Why does it matter if she shares the same beliefs as her readers? She never signed an agreement to be a voice box for the dictated script, so why are you making it a requirement?
Rowling disagrees with a scripture that many of you hold sacred. Instead of engaging in an honest conversation with the author, social media users accuse her of the worst things possible. Why isn’t she capable of having her own opinions without being painted as a hateful demon? Her works have brought so much happiness and joy to our childhoods, yet we’re willing to get rid of her because she disagrees with you?
I absolutely refuse. Rowling brings a unique perspective to the transgender discussion. Aside from Chappelle, she’s the only one with her celebrity status that appears to hold this view. Everybody else either agrees with the national narrative or are comfortable repeating it. You do not hold certain opinions or beliefs because they are popular, however. A million people can be wrong at the same time. Something doesn’t become true because the idea has national support. Let's start engaging with one another instead of jumping to hostile insults that never solve anything.
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