Joanne Harris is a disgrace
I just can't get over that Joanne Harris, rather than signing a letter condemning the rape and death threats that JK Rowling has been receiving, actually signed a creepily dishonest counter letter. I can’t believe that Joanne Harris is Chair of the Society of Authors.
Thank God for people of principle, like Jo Glanville, former director of PEN in the UK, who wrote this about the affair.
Last month, 58 writers, journalists and artists signed a letter in the Sunday Times in support of JK Rowling, condemning the ‘onslaught of abuse’ she has received regarding her views on sex, gender and trans rights. Signatories included Tom Stoppard, Ian McEwan and Lionel Shriver. Three days later, more than 200 writers, agents, editors and publishers published a statement in support of trans and non-binary people and their rights in a message of ‘love and solidarity’. Signatories included Jeanette Winterson, Malorie Blackman and Nikesh Shukla. The worrying implication in the timing of their statement appears to be that any public support for JK Rowling is perceived to be an attack on the transgender community. The magazine Mslexia dropped the author Amanda Craig as a competition judge following her signing the Sunday Times letter, because of views ‘that threaten to undermine Mslexia’s climate of welcome and inclusivity’.
All writers and publishers should be speaking out in support of JK Rowling, no matter where they stand on the transgender issue: whether they believe like Jeanette Winterson and fellow signatories that ‘transwomen are women’ or, like JK Rowling, that ‘if sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased’. The treatment of Rowling is an attempt to censor, by intimidation as well as by discrediting her opinions as hate speech and discrimination. While it may not, fortunately, be possible to silence one of the most successful writers in the world, there are others whose livelihoods are at risk for daring to voice similar views. Anyone in the business of publishing or writing should defend Rowling’s right to express her opinions in support of the principle of freedom of expression. It is the principle that enables every writer and publisher who signed the statement in support of the trans and non-binary community to do their work - and also to sign such a statement.
Joanne Harris should either make a statement unequivocally condemning the threats Rowling has received, or resign from her position as SOC Chair. Her recent actions show she is not fit for that office.
Speaking of JK Rowling…
An anonymous artist in the UK wants to create a project about the abuse JK Rowling has received. There are three requests with this:
1. Can anyone donate an enclosed space the size of a room, like an unused shop or business space, that could be used for a few days for this project, and that would have footfall so people can visit and experience what will be created?
2. Does anyone have a collection of anti-JK Rowling social media posts from recent months that they could send through?
And 3. Is anyone prepared to put their bank account to a crowdfunder for this project (it won't cost you anything but the artist can't put their own bank details in because they will lose their anonymity and will immediately be cancelled)? There is more on the project here- and the artist is happy to communicate with anyone if they have questions!
PRIVATE EYE! STEPPING UP!
I actually wrote to Ian Hislop about a year ago begging him to pay more attention to all this. It’s this kind of coverage I was hoping for.
Have they???
This feels like it might not be true but now I can’t stop watching them.
Had to stop watching
Episode 2 was it for me. NOPE.
They just don’t want to talk about it
THIS is why they call us bigots and transphobes: to avoid answering these basic questions.
Silicon valley hates women, example #732534114455
The real revenge of the nerds is incels taking over key positions on communication platforms.
A very important part of the picture
Parents, especially, need to absorb this one.
It’s time for everyone’s favourite part of the site!
Real ‘courage of his convictions’ guy is John.
We’re going to hear more and more stories like this
Well, who could have seen this coming?
Stonewall did a misogyny symposium (the perfect people doing it, since they’ve been captured by misogynists) and immediately went on a witch hunt.
A shard from the past
The slow-motion scandal continues to slowly explode. My prediction is that gender identity will come to be seen as an institutional failure as damaging in its own way to the BBC as the Saville affair.
Classic ownage
Automated witch hunting
Not only did she refuse to sign your letter of objection, she is now complaining she is being harassed and trolled by your supporters. I asked her if the harassment consisted of death threats, or threats of sexual assault or penis photos or had she been told to kill herself? Were there hreats to report her and have her hounded out of publisher's lists? Doxxing her? Stalking her? Burning her books? Lewd photos perhaps? Naturally I was blocked.
She has continued to tweet in an unpleasantly sanctimonious passive- aggressive manner at anyone who questions this course of action, including Rachel Rooney and Amanda Craig. She seems to *really* object to women authors who disagree with her. Fortunately I've never liked her writing - read Chocolat years ago because book group - and wouldn't read her stuff if you paid me