What’s up guys, it’s Sussan Mourad with Clevver News, and Harry Potter fans mourned
the death of JK Rowling’s reputation Monday on the eve of her new book release about a
cisgender male serial killer posing as a woman, as many recall her transphobic comments just
months prior.
If you were one of millions of people who logged onto Twitter yesterday, you probably
had a minor heart palpitation seeing the hashtag #RIPJKRowling trending.
Just to clarify, NO, JK Rowling did not die.
So what’s with the false alarm?
As many Potterheads know, JK was under fire back in June after defending a series of comments
she made that were seen as transphobic in a lengthy essay.
Some of the initial statements in her tweets shared on June 6th read QUOTE, “If sex isn’t
real, there’s no same-sex attraction.
If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased.
I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of
many to meaningfully discuss their lives.
It isn’t hate to speak the truth.”
Although JK mentioned that she would gladly march alongside someone who was discriminated
against as a trans person, QUOTE, “At the same time, my life has been shaped by being
female.
I do not believe it’s hateful to say so.”
Just days after receiving massive amounts of backlash, she penned an essay explaining
her reason for speaking out on sex and gender issues.
JK explained that she is speaking out on these topics not in an attempt to garner sympathy,
but QUOTE, “out of solidarity with the huge numbers of women who have histories like mine,
who’ve been slurred as bigots for having concerns around single-sex spaces.”
In the essay, she also revealed that she is a survivor of domestic abuse and sexual assault,
adding, “I have a visceral sense of the terror in which those trans women will have
spent their last seconds on earth, because I too have known moments of blind fear when
I realised that the only thing keeping me alive was the shaky self-restraint of my attacker.”
She also explained that her interest in trans issues is “professional, because I’m writing
a crime series, set in the present day, and my fictional female detective is of an age
to be interested in, and affected by, these issues herself, but on another, it’s intensely
personal.”
Her essay appeared to anger fans even more as many claimed she attempted to paint herself
as a victim and a bigot with little regard toward trans people.
But speaking of the series of crime novels she mentioned, JK appeared to have dug her
own grave so to speak this week, just as one of the books titled “Troubled Blood,”
from the Cormoran Strike series was released today.
Writing under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, many fans believe JK has caused her entire
reputation to lie six feet under after releasing the book in the series, “Troubled Blood,”
about a private detective who investigates a cisgender male serial killer who disguises
himself as a female to kill female victims.
Fans of the Cormoran Strike series might also recall that the second novel in the series,
called “The Silkworm,” centers around an “unstable and aggressive” trans character,
which is particularly ironic considering her tweets about gender and trans people.
Hence why the #RIPJKRowling was born -- fans have taken to social media to express their
disgust for JK using such characters in her book in light of her comments.
One user tweeted, “In memory of JK Rowling.
She ain’t dead, but she killed her own career by proudly hating trans people & no one would
really miss her that much anyway.”
Another person tweeted, “Imagine getting cancelled so hard, we have to pretend that
you died.”
This user found it comical that Twitter actually had to clarify under the hashtag that JK was,
in fact, still very much alive, attaching a screenshot with the caption, “For me,
it's how Twitter had to specify that she's actually alive AHAHAHAHAHA.”
On Sunday, The Telegraph published a review of Troubled Blood, noting that its plotline
will likely anger fans who are aware of JK’s stance on trans rights, as many have pointed
out that a common theme of anti-trans logic is exactly what the plot of the book entails:
“men pretending to be women to gain access to spaces like women’s restrooms in order
to commit violent crimes.”
Not only has the plot of the book sparked backlash among its fanbase, but employees
at the book’s publisher Hatchette have even threatened to stop working on the book out
of solidarity with the trans and LGBTQ communities.
We, here at Clevver, would like to make our stance clear as we are in full support of
the LGBTQ+ community and will continue to fight for and stand beside those who continuously
fight discrimination and strive to put an end to social injustice.
To see what Harry Potter, himself, Daniel Radcliffe, had to say about JK’s transphobic
comments, click right over here to watch another Clevver video.
Then be sure to let me know all your thoughts on the premise of JK Rowling’s new novel
and basing it after a trans person down here in the comments.
I’m your host Sussan Mourad, bye guys!