In a series of posts on social media, “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling spoke out against a woke policy that is reportedly taking place at a school that she says endangers “extremely vulnerable teenage girls.”
Rowling shared an article on Twitter that was reportedly written by unnamed parents with a daughter who is a “severely learning-disabled” 16-year-old. The report says that a policy change at the school will now allow men to take their daughter to the bathroom one-on-one, “behind a closed door.” The school’s governing body decided to “remove cross-gender consent from the personal and intimate care policy,” according to the article.
“I cannot overstate my contempt for those supporting policies that endanger extremely vulnerable girls. This is a travesty. Have we learned nothing from successive abuse scandals? Do we value the disabled so little?” Rowling tweeted. “Nearly 20 years ago I founded @lumos to reform care systems for vulnerable children. I know from long experience how vulnerable children are in institutions. The statistics on predation are appalling. Disabled women and children are many times more likely to be abused.”
I cannot overstate my contempt for those supporting policies that endanger extremely vulnerable girls. This is a travesty. Have we learned nothing from successive abuse scandals? Do we value the disabled so little? 1/5https://t.co/ewIG8S4lcG
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) July 11, 2022
“Predators go where there is access. Predators love victims who can’t fight back or speak out. Successive studies show that 98-99% of sexual abusers are male. This validation of male feelings over disabled girls’ protection is abhorrent,” she continued. “I’m so bloody angry my hands are shaking. I’m the daughter of a disabled mother and I’ve campaigned for the rights of vulnerable children for many years, but I’m still constantly shocked by the cruelty and indifference shown to those who cannot advocate for themselves.”
Rowling encouraged her audience to contact their local British lawmakers and other individuals who hold political power to vent their anger over the policies.
The parents of the girl, who they call “Helen” but acknowledge that’s not her real name, say that the school sent out a memo about the new policy that stated that the change was “in line with legislation and guidance relating to equality and diversity.”
“As her parents, our reaction was initially disbelief, followed by outrage, and a determination that this policy change should be reversed,” the parents wrote.
The parents wrote that their daughter was so disabled that she has to rely on others to make “decisions in their best interests” and to plan “nearly every aspect” of their daily life.
“Their disabilities leave them with no sense of stranger-danger,” they wrote. “They are unable to tell anyone if they have been flashed, groped, or raped. They are unable to advocate for themselves or draw attention to their vulnerability through social media such as Twitter. They are entirely dependent on others, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.”