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JK Rowling supports TERF who was fired for being transphobic

MrSaturn99

MrSaturn99

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,450
I live in a giant bucket.
The tsunami of shit unleashed on Vox's Twitter threads -- aside from being an excellent exercise for my block button -- had all the hit-classics:

"It's just a different opinion!"
"Freedom of speech!"
"You're being racist by calling out bigotry in other countries!"
"DUR WOMEN CAN'T BE MEN"
"IT'S BIOLOGY FACTS DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS"
"How is it transphobic? Phobia is a FEAR!"

That last one's interesting to me since I just recently came across that, but apparently that's a common conservative talking point? Regardless, even if we were to succumb to the lowest depths of semantic obtuseness and accept THAT, have we suddenly forgotten all the bad-faith "argh trans people molest kids in bathrooms!!!"? Or transitioning is abuse? (And hey, while I'm at it, how about pedophilia being equated with homosexuality?)
 
Chaotic-Strike

Chaotic-Strike

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,089
Man I haven't seen a highly respected author absolutely bomb their own career in the ways Rowling just did right now.
 
Digital Dinosaur

Digital Dinosaur

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,028
Rita Repulsa's Moon Palace
MrSaturn99 said:
That last one's interesting to me since I just recently came across that, but apparently that's a common conservative talking point?
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It's a reasonably popular form of equivocation among bigots. It's like a racist saying "I can't be racist, because I don't hate black people. I just think they have subhuman brains and can't be civilized. That's an opinion, not a hatred!"
 
Chaotic-Strike

Chaotic-Strike

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,089
Gradon said:
she's going to be fine, especially after the UK election she probably feels empowered sharing her vile views.
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Damn I certainly hope not. You're both right that bomb was the wrong term to use.

I just hope that by essentially doubling down to this extreme that she feels some nice and swift reprecussions maybe I was a little too optimistic though.
 
Ashlette

Ashlette

Member
Oct 28, 2017
3,254
Kai Dracon said:
It's a reasonably popular form of equivocation among bigots. It's like a racist saying "I can't be racist, because I don't hate black people. I just think they have subhuman brains and can't be civilized. That's an opinion, not a hatred!"
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Unfortunately some people are just out of touch with current events.

I remember someone defending their transphobic statements in this forum. They claimed that they couldn't be transphobic because they "weren't scared of trans people".

I feel that some of these idiots have somehow convinced themselves that they aren't hateful if they aren't boiling with violent targeted thoughts. And, consequentially, that being calm and collected somehow prevents them from being racist.

And the most frustrating thing about it is that they don't want to learn. They don't want to spend at least an hour reading articles about modern day racism. They'd rather tell themselves that "some people just call everything racist" and "racism doesn't exist anymore" that's that. They don't want to learn how it evolved during the civil rights movement in the 60s. They don't want to do better.

That is why forums like this one are invaluable. They serve as a source for current events and a platform for people in marginalized groups to speak up. And they give an opportunity for ignorant people to learn and improve.
 
Mekanos

Mekanos

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 17, 2018
44,120
Mondai said:
Curious , is she still even that relevant?
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I mean, she'll probably be allowed to give public speeches, book signings, etc. forever. She'll get royalties for the rest of her life. She will likely be remembered fondly by most of the Harry Potter fandom. She's not going to be canceled over this when, frankly speaking, her views on trans women are still slightly less hateful than the overwhelming majority of society (especially in the UK).

If celebrities like Chris Brown can still tour, nobody is going to lose clout over a Tweet like this.

Ashlette said:
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I understand the urge to reclaim Harry Potter and feel comfortable about consuming it, but I feel like we have to have an honest conversation about what this work means as a reflection of its author. Harry Potter is loaded with racist, antisemitic, and ableist themes and subtext, and probably a few things you could ding for transphobia if you combed back over it.

That doesn't mean you can't enjoy it, but I feel like the Miku meme is a way to deflect from any sort of self-reflection for people who like Harry Potter and don't want to critically engage over what her work actually means.
 
Ashlette

Ashlette

Member
Oct 28, 2017
3,254
Mekanos said:
I understand the urge to reclaim Harry Potter and feel comfortable about consuming it, but I feel like we have to have an honest conversation about what this work means as a reflection of its author. Harry Potter is loaded with racist, antisemitic, and ableist themes and subtext, and probably a few things you could ding for transphobia if you combed back over it.

That doesn't mean you can't enjoy it, but I feel like the Miku meme is a way to deflect from any sort of self-reflection for people who like Harry Potter and don't want to critically engage over what her work actually means.
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You are right. Miku works well with Minecraft because the creator sold the IP a few years ago and mojang, a separate dev team, continued the game's development without them. In addition, mojang removed all references to the creator except in the credits earlier this year. So it is easy to decouple the creator and their contributions to the game.

Sadly, that is not the case with jkr and harry potter.
 

Deleted member 8166

Account closed at user request
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Oct 26, 2017
4,075
you mean the woman that wrote an incel character that abused children but in the end was the "misunderstood hero" is a piece of garbage and a TERF? well I'd never...
 
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Ravensmash

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,797
Damn, was hoping to come in here and see that she'd apologised.

I'd only hope that this getting more exposure might make her rethink/become more educated on the actual topic.

(As opposed to previously, where it's always been vague expressions/likes where there hasn't been much backlash or opportunity to educate her)
 
Brazil

Brazil

Actual Brazilian
Member
Oct 24, 2017
18,403
São Paulo, Brazil
Ravensmash said:
Damn, was hoping to come in here and see that she'd apologised.

I'd only hope that this getting more exposure might make her rethink/become more educated on the actual topic.

(As opposed to previously, where it's always been vague expressions/likes where there hasn't been much backlash or opportunity to educate her)
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If she wanted to learn, she would've learned by now given how many times similar things have happened. Being hateful is simply part of her identity, it seems.
 

Deleted member 47700

Banned
Sep 12, 2018
19,846
Ravensmash said:
Damn, was hoping to come in here and see that she'd apologised.

I'd only hope that this getting more exposure might make her rethink/become more educated on the actual topic.

(As opposed to previously, where it's always been vague expressions/likes where there hasn't been much backlash or opportunity to educate her)
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Thing is she has literally nothing to lose in this. This is what happens when you've amassed "fuck you" money.
 
Thuddert

Thuddert

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,298
Netherlands
Ravensmash said:
Damn, was hoping to come in here and see that she'd apologised.

I'd only hope that this getting more exposure might make her rethink/become more educated on the actual topic.

(As opposed to previously, where it's always been vague expressions/likes where there hasn't been much backlash or opportunity to educate her)
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Transphobes back each other.
 
SteelBeast6Beets

SteelBeast6Beets

Banned
May 13, 2019
1,589
Delphine said:
Didn't think I'd have to make that edit because apparently people don't pay enough attention to what I was answering to in my post, but in any case, I added an edit explaining the joke (always a fun thing to have to explain jokes, gotta love that)! Let's hope it'll make things clear enough.
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Try to do it without the passive aggressiveness next time.
 
ckareset

ckareset

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Feb 2, 2018
4,977
Kai Dracon said:
It's a reasonably popular form of equivocation among bigots. It's like a racist saying "I can't be racist, because I don't hate black people. I just think they have subhuman brains and can't be civilized. That's an opinion, not a hatred!"
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Go set a watchman is better than to kill a mocking bird
 
Patsy

Patsy

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Jun 7, 2019
1,279
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She's been a known transphobe for many years now and it's insane that it took so many people until NOW to actually acknowledge it when we, the LGBT community, have tried to tell people for literally years, but people always wanted to ignore it "because harry potter was my childhood!!1!1!1". God. Better late than never I guess.
 
Finale Fireworker

Finale Fireworker

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Oct 25, 2017
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I am continually floored by the unique prevalence of TERFdom in the UK. I've had a lot of discussions about it and listened to a lot of talks about it and it just blows my mind how entrenched transphobia is among otherwise progressive circles (not that Rowling is - but her fans tend to be). There is nothing more disgusting to me than institutions and movements meant to resist prejudice exercising prejudice of their own.

Caricatures like JK Rowling are disgraceful. I can only hope that such a high profile gesture of idiocy forces an education and confrontation among people who either don't know better or have been avoiding the truth about this brand of politics. I hope people continue to distance themselves from her and her once-powerful brand identity continues to suffer.


I know there's always lots of giggling over that 4chan post about Harry Potter and centrism and there has been lots of analysis over the wack politics of the Harry Potter narratives, but I swear that we are in an era where we can aptly describe such a thing as "Harry Potter Politics": The politics of unaffected centrists who blissfully reinforce the status quo but otherwise believe themselves to be heroic. It's just so distinct.
 
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