I've been reading a lot of John Updike lately which I'm enjoying more and more.
Also finished The Ghost of White Hart Lane the other day, written about the life of Scottish footballer John White by his son who never really knew him.
Also a bunch of Irish things for the time of year it is. _________________
[quote= "Gowi"]First Harry Potter book came out when I was in 6th or 7th grade. I thought myself above them. I was right.
But I was also reading way above my reading level and was a little too smug about it at the time. I stuck to my Three Musketeers and such while kids talked about Harry Potter. In retrospect, JKR coming out as a Thatcherite conservative and transphobic bigot just makes me giggle. Gives me more validation.
I see no evidence of this.
Then you haven't been paying attention. As a transperson I am too tired to explain all of the evidence. And there is a lot of them. But I don't expect people who this stuff doesn't effect to be informed.
Well I have been paying some attention but I also still need to learn more. Thanks for those links, I will read them.
I found the article from The Week quite helpful. It mentioned a few things I wasn’t aware of but ultimately does not change my opinion at this point. I don’t want to defend Rowling’s position as she is completely one sided on a very two sided and emotive debate. However, I don’t think that there is evidence at this point of transphobia. I am happy to keep reflecting and learning about this issue though.
The twitter thread I found a bit impenetrable. It makes several pedantic points in my view and does not present a coherent argument for me.
The other article (ITM) has a headline that scans as being factually inaccurate. On that basis, I’m not going to read it.
I do respect the fact that Rowling has been completely one-sided and that this causes problems. I just see this in lots of people related to lots of issues. I don’t think that Rowling’s stance justifies the way she has been denigrated online and turned into a hate figure whatsoever.
Like I said though, I am not an authority and remain eager to learn more. I respect that you are personally effected by this issue and better informed than me about this. Though still I think the evidence points towards Rowling being a single-minded feminist rather than being transphobic.
I can’t see a single reference to Thatcherism anywhere. Seems like a non-starter.
While I see where you are coming from and agree with Salem witch hunt type society and issues that causes... (my joke is I can only listen to music from Jesus because he's the only perfect artist... )
BUT one thing to look up/be aware of is the concept of a TERF and how that relates to her, and to being anti-trans.
People can be quite leftist and transphobic (ESPECIALLY on the radical feminist side), she was always very anti-Thatcher and the conservative party in general.
Dear gawd though, the whole anti-Hogwarts Legacy shebang was a masterclass in how NOT to handle anti-Rowling sentiment.
People can be quite leftist and transphobic (ESPECIALLY on the radical feminist side), she was always very anti-Thatcher and the conservative party in general.
Dear gawd though, the whole anti-Hogwarts Legacy shebang was a masterclass in how NOT to handle anti-Rowling sentiment.
Rowling isn't a leftist. At my most generous she's a moderate like most neolibs and neocons are.
More or less @ HL. But it's also the internet being the internet.
Edit; JFC I never want to read back what I write anymore, in short words JK rowling still bad, still a leftist but the internet "activists" are the fucking worst and always ruin anything that can be remotely useful
While I see where you are coming from and agree with Salem witch hunt type society and issues that causes... (my joke is I can only listen to music from Jesus because he's the only perfect artist... )
BUT one thing to look up/be aware of is the concept of a TERF and how that relates to her, and to being anti-trans.
Well, I do basically know what is meant by this and I listened to a good Jon Ronson podcast on the subject (I nearly wrote Marc Ronson ) I don’t know the full history, obviously.
Rowling wants to exclude transgender women from certain protective spaces. There are other aspects to this debate but this point seems more or less the bottom line. Ultimately, I don’t see how calling Rowling a TERF is going to change my opinion on whether what she stands for is an acceptable position.
*literally compares all transppl to her made up death eaters cult*
Essentially though, Rowling did not say that transgender people are like death eaters. She said that trans activists use the same discursive tactics as death eaters (edit: presuming the quote I read is accurate)
Edit; JFC I never want to read back what I write anymore, in short words JK Rowling still bad, still a leftist but the internet "activists" are the fucking worst and always ruin anything that can be remotely useful
The Gender Critical movement has in the last three years consolidated with the far right wing of society. Individuals like Matt Walsh, who was applauded by Rowling, is a key figure (and so is his publication, The Daily Wire) who peddles misinformation, propaganda, and is actively trying to support the notion of a genocide of people like me. There is a litany of documentation and quotes that proves this and honestly, I, like many transpeople are sick and tired of having to inform and educate people about trans issues when every single day gets exponentially worse for us. Michael Knowles, whom Walsh works alongside at the Daily Wire, recently called for a trans genocide with coded language.
"If [transgenerism] is false, then for the good of society... transgenderism must be eradicated from public life entirely,"
There is a video on how JKR and the Gender Critical movement she has aligned with that is worthy of note:
Is JKR still a British liberal? In many ways, perhaps, but she has been leaning rightwards for the last three years -- exponentially so every single year.
Now on the regards if JKR deserves her "Scarlet Letter". As a transperson, yes, absolute yes. She has insane amount of power capital and influence in British society. She has penned political essays, opposed gender recognition reforms, written books about "transvestite serial killers" a storied transphobic Hollywood trope under Galbraith, and worked to use her capital to influence transphobic movements. I do not want to depend on video essays and anecdotes, so that is why I left it rather brief here, but there are people with a lot more time on their hands than I who have been following this since JKR originally opined that she respected transpeople. No doubt the incredible amount of criticism, both informal and formal, is part to blame but it’s not the whole picture. Her literal opinions have been quoted by American politicians to validate their agenda to eradicate me from society. This is not something we can just agree to disagree on.
Perhaps, some of you can just handwave the assertion that "she has reacted poorly to twitter and new media", but trans people who are affected by opinions of large, influential people, especially those that side with far right figures like Knowles and Walsh, can not afford such a leniency.
Section 1 of Jessie Gender's last video brings a lot of this home:
The discourse around Rowling is handwaved as twitter drama rather than the far right who she dines with and how she uses her capital/platform to amplify and validate her errant transphobia. Don't be a mark. When transpeople speak about this kind of stuff, listen.
Quote:
Ultimately, I don’t see how calling Rowling a TERF is going to change my opinion on whether what she stands for is an acceptable position.
Obviously. These issues don't effect you, so you won't see the influence on society she does as pertinent or reprehensible. I'm not surprised. Sometimes I ponder with takes like this what exactly it will take for it being an "unacceptable position". Because her supporting far right people who call for our genocide and removal from society isn't enough. Penning essays that utter transphobic concerns about our rights isn't enough. Her movement dining and marching with neo-nazi's isn't enough. Writing literature that peddles ancient [harmful] tropes about us isn't enough. When is it enough?
Hopefully, this will be my last comment in a thread about BOOKS about an author being awful, but maybe we can talk about Orson Scott Card next?
Yeah, since y’all won’t trust trans people about things that will threaten our existence, maybe y’all will trust Keith?
More than a decade ago he introduced me to one of my favorite books, It’s Donkey Time by David Crane. I wanna dive deeper into his body of work, but I think this is a great place to start.
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