“Harry Potter” author JK Rowling fired back at critics in a blistering tweet on Wednesday, saying that “real” misogyny was on display when men defined what women should think and feel and how they should act.
Rowling has taken a lot of heat from the transgender community for defending biological women — particularly from situations where trans-women who are still biologically male could pose a physical threat to them — and she made it clear that she had no intention of backing down.
“Men defining what a woman is, what women should and shouldn’t fear, what women should and shouldn’t say, what rights women should be fine with giving up and, of course, what constitutes ‘real’ misogyny: get a bloody mirror,” she said. “That’s real misogyny, looking right back at you.”
Men defining what a woman is, what women should and shouldn’t fear, what women should and shouldn’t say, what rights women should be fine with giving up and, of course, what constitutes ‘real’ misogyny: get a bloody mirror. That’s real misogyny, looking right back at you.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) January 25, 2023
Rowling had recently responded to India Willoughby, a biological male, who claimed, “I’m more of a woman than JK Rowling will ever be.”
“Citation needed,” was Rowling’s reply.
Citation needed. pic.twitter.com/phsneRp9hZ
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) January 22, 2023
Rowling has also fiercely defended Rosie Duffield, a Labour Member of Parliament (MP) in Kent, who said over the weekend that women within the Labour Party were being shouted down by the men in their own party because they defended the right to women-only spaces.
“Being shouted down in the Chamber by @UKLabour men who clearly don’t want women to speak up for our rights to single sex spaces. How very progressive #Section35,” Duffield tweeted last week.
Should probably point out that the SNP men were also yelling, but I expected that of course. The protection of single sex spaces for the very most vulnerable women are at stake, so why on earth are Labour colleagues ok with this?!
— Rosie Duffield MP (@RosieDuffield1) January 17, 2023
“Should probably point out that the [Scottish National Party] SNP men were also yelling, but I expected that of course,” Duffield continued. “The protection of single sex spaces for the very most vulnerable women are at stake, so why on earth are Labour colleagues ok with this?!”
Rowling also recently caused a stir at the end of last year when she donated funds to help launch Beira’s Place in Edinburgh — a female-only support service for victims of sexual abuse and violence.
“I founded Beira’s Place to provide what I believe is currently an unmet need for women in the Lothians area,” Rowling said at the time. “As a survivor of sexual assault myself, I know how important it is that survivors have the option of women-centred and women-delivered care at such a vulnerable time. Beira’s Place will offer an increase in capacity for services in the area and will, I hope, enable more women to process and recover from their trauma.”
Critics immediately attacked the author for failing to be “inclusive” and allowing trans-women to use the service — despite the fact that other shelters and services already existed that catered to the trans community.