HARRY POTTER Author J.K. Rowling Is Now Facing Legal Action For Alleged Transphobia

HARRY POTTER Author J.K. Rowling Is Now Facing Legal Action For Alleged Transphobia

J.K. Rowling has always stuck to her guns when it comes to her views on gender and the trans community, but the Harry Potter author may now face legal action after being reported to the police.

News
By MarkCassidy - Mar 08, 2024 09:03 AM EST
Filed Under: Harry Potter
Source: Via SFF Gazette

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has become a highly divisive figure since her feelings on gender and the trans community were made public some years ago, and the writer has continued to further alienate herself from her once loyal fanbase with what many perceive to be anti-trans rhetoric.

Rowling, who has been dubbed She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in some Harry Potter fan circles, has always stuck to her guns and doubled-down on her views, but the controversial writer may now be facing some legal action.

Broadcaster India Willoughby has revealed that she filed a police complaint against Rowling over alleged transphobia during an interview with Byline TV on Wednesday night, claiming that she reported her to Northumbria Police for repeatedly misgendering her online as part of an ongoing feud.

“J.K. Rowling has definitely committed a crime. I’m legally a woman. She knows I’m a woman, and she called me a man,” the former Celebrity Big Brother contestant stated. “It’s a protected characteristic, and that is a breach of both the Equalities Act and the Gender Recognition Act. She’s tweeted that out to 14 million followers.”

Willoughby continued, “I have reported J.K. Rowling to the police for what she said, which I don’t know if that’s going to be treated as a hate crime, malicious communications — but it’s a cut-and-dry offense, as far as I’m concerned.”

Representatives for Northumbria Police have not weighed-in, but Rowling did respond to Willoughby via Twitter.

“Gender critical views can be protected in law as a philosophical belief. No law compels anyone to pretend to believe that India is a woman. Aware as I am that it’s an offence to lie to law enforcement, I’ll simply have to explain to the police that, in my view, India is a classic example of the male narcissist who lives in a state of perpetual rage that he can’t compel women to take him at his own valuation.”

More in the thread below.

Last year, Warner Bros. Discovery officially announced that a new Harry Potter series is currently being developed for the HBO Max streaming service. The show will fully reboot the popular movies with an entirely new cast, and the plan is to re-adapt the source novels with each season dedicated to one of the seven books.

The news received a somewhat mixed response, and not just because so many fans feel that the films adapted the story perfectly well. The fact that Rowling is involved has come in for a lot of backlash, but HBO Chairman Casey Bloys dismissed concerns as a "very online conversation" at the time.

More recently, WBD boss David Zaslav mentioned that he flew to London to meet with Rowling about the show.

“We spent some real time with J.K. and her team,” Zaslav said. “Both sides are just thrilled to be reigniting this franchise. Our conversations were great, and we couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead. We can’t wait to share a decade of new stories with fans around the world on Max.”

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TheCantilope
TheCantilope - 3/8/2024, 9:33 AM
The year is 2024, and it is a crime to tell the truth.
Fogs
Fogs - 3/8/2024, 10:25 AM
@TheCantilope - crazy. People are being persecuted for misgendering someone.

Let that sink in.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 3/8/2024, 10:28 AM
@Fogs - I actually agree that transphobic speech should be protected. I also think that anyone that intentionally misgenders someone is an asshole.
WhateverItTakes
WhateverItTakes - 3/8/2024, 10:36 AM
@TheCantilope -
Fogs
Fogs - 3/8/2024, 10:41 AM
@ClintThaHamster - what's "protected"?
DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 3/8/2024, 10:51 AM
@ClintThaHamster - They can be an asshole. But currently there are no laws that says someone should be in handcuffs for being an asshole. If that was the case 80% of this site and the world should be in handcuffs. Including you and me.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 3/8/2024, 10:56 AM
@Fogs - I think he's saying you should be allowed to misgender someone, but it's a shitty thing to do. You can call someone a dick for doing it, but it shouldn't be a crime.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 3/8/2024, 11:25 AM
@Fogs - In the US, “protected speech” means speech that is protected under the first and 14th amendments to the Constitution.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 3/8/2024, 11:27 AM
@DarthOmega - Like I said, I actually agree that transphobic speech should be protected. Meaning I don't think that people should be legally prosecuted for being transphobic bigots. I think they should lose all their friends and never get laid again, but they should be free live out the rest of their miserable, lonely lives without fear of legal repercussions.
rkshuttleworth
rkshuttleworth - 3/8/2024, 11:44 AM
@ClintThaHamster - So someone who continues to give into someone's own denial of how they were born and rather than helping them seek psychology help, is an asshole. Seems like the whole psychiatric/psychological community is full of assholes then as well as North America. The reality is North America is full of people who don't want to admit the crap they have put children through because they aren't willing to do with their own issues and then they put that on children. I knowy comments might trigger a lot of people. I just hope people find help although there are people who don't want to help. It's easier to just say accept the way you are thinking or here have this testosterone, estrogen or this surgery, etc and then we don't have to deal with it.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 3/8/2024, 11:50 AM
@rkshuttleworth - Kinda hard to parse what you're getting at here, but it sounds like you're saying that folks getting gender affirming care would be better served by seeing a psychologist to help them work through their issues.

Is that accurate?
BigPhilbowski
BigPhilbowski - 3/8/2024, 12:07 PM
@DarthOmega - I mean there's literally a law saying she can't misgender her but sure, claim there isn't because you think there isn't
Ryguy88
Ryguy88 - 3/8/2024, 12:17 PM
@TheCantilope - this shit is coming to canada next. Undefined "hate speech" violations could soon put people in jail for life.
PatchesOhulihan
PatchesOhulihan - 3/8/2024, 1:40 PM
@ClintThaHamster - Wouldn't it make the most sense to "Affirm" their actual gender? At least attempt that before permanently altering your body...
fosdog
fosdog - 3/8/2024, 1:51 PM
@TheCantilope - it's such a shame how people have been taught to feel offended about every little thing nowadays. it's like, oh my, someday said my shirt was ugly, can I sue them or have them arrested for shirtaphobic comments or, oh my, somebody asked me if I wanted a sugar or artificial sweetener, can I sue them or have them arrested for being diabetaphobic. it's ridiculous
elcapitan
elcapitan - 3/8/2024, 2:40 PM
@rkshuttleworth - so essentially you're saying that all trans people are self-deniers who have shitty parents and need psychological/psychiatric help? You're right, transitioning is much easier than just accepting yourself. You're an idiot.
elcapitan
elcapitan - 3/8/2024, 2:42 PM
@PatchesOhulihan - do you realize that there is a whole protocol that trans people have to go through before transitioning? Maybe instead of making ignorant statements about what other people SHOULD do, you should educate yourself about what they actually do.
elcapitan
elcapitan - 3/8/2024, 2:45 PM
@fosdog - it's disingenuous to compare JK's flagrant disregard for someone's identity to another person's comments about an ugly shirt. I'm not saying I support laws that lock people up for this, but at least engage in fair comparisons that don't minimize a person's experience just for a (not) witty comment.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 3/8/2024, 3:13 PM
@PatchesOhulihan - Of course. Are you under the impression that that's not happening?
marvel72
marvel72 - 3/8/2024, 4:12 PM
@TheCantilope - Earth is becoming Bizzaro World.
DamageCase82
DamageCase82 - 3/8/2024, 9:42 PM
@ClintThaHamster - Since when is being an asshole a persecutable crime? Your feelings are hurt so someone goes to court? That’s the most childish, entitled thing I’ve ever heard, grow up
Arthorious
Arthorious - 3/8/2024, 9:58 PM
@Fogs - there was mom who was up in arms that a vet would perform a procedure on her son, because her son identifies as a cat. She says it’s discrimination… this is the world we live in.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 3/9/2024, 4:40 AM
@elcapitan - The protocol used to be (back when it was called Gender Identity Disorder) to affirm a persons assigned gender identity, but that was seen to internalise the distress and so (now renamed Gender Dysphoria) the protocol shifted to affirm their chosen gender identity.

If people weren't discussing what they though they SHOULD do in the first place, then it would have never changed.
Personally I think both protocols are wrong and that they should teach people that gender identity (either assigned or trans) is a fictional social construct and shouldn't therefore have any bearing on a their mental state. Once you show them that the monster isn't actually under the bed or in the closet, they may no longer be in a state of distress.
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 3/9/2024, 6:32 AM
@ObserverIO - Actualy good practice doesn't try and force anyone down any specific path and normaly talking at least four months of specialist psychological help to explore the causes of their distress etc and teach general mental wellbeing methods, coping strategies and all that along with diagnosis.

Then it still tends to be if diagnosed with gender dysphoria and the patient choose to then they would 'live as their chosen gender' in terms of what they wear and prefered name (normaly with continued support from specialists) however the option to remain living as their birth gender is still there and techniques taught to deal with any stress and depression etc.

Only after that, with best practice protocols, that stuff like surgery is even considered and considering how long from someone first feeling the are 'not normal' and having increasing levels of distress due to it that they seek advice and support, then the waiting list to get to see gender identity disorder specialists...

...still mostly folk take several years from first presenting with symptoms to actualy coming out as trans let alone before going down the path of surgery. The costs to short cut all of that through private treatment rather the general practices makes it fairly uncommon and the societal pushback is still suffice that this idea it is a near instant thing that someone just wakes up one day and randomly decides they are in the wrong body and all that is frankly bonkers.

There is however a reasonable argument that if it were possible to remove the whole idea of gender roles and gender norms in regard to clothing etc there would be far less of an issue but that would require a HUGE society wide shift which is unlikely considering how much backlash this is all getting already.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 3/9/2024, 7:57 AM
@Apophis71 - One day maybe. Maybe in another year or trillion.

It sounds like the docs have a much better way of dealing with it than I assumed. As long as the patient is happy then that's all that really counts.
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 3/9/2024, 8:26 AM
@ObserverIO - TBF best practive services are not always in place in all areas and I'm UK talking NHS, not all with avail themselves of the services out there and somewhere like America where there is a private healthcare system and dealing with the costs of that and if insurance will cover it at all is a whole other matter. However the research and development of best practice has come a long way even if it oft falls short of that due to overstretched services and postcode lotteries etc, Scotland were looking at making the time from diagnosis to treatments/recognition available far short but last I heard they ditched that, currently England your talking two years from diagnosis of someone 'living as' before a patient is able to go onto waiting lists if wanting surgery.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 3/9/2024, 9:19 AM
@DamageCase82 - I literally said the opposite. I oppose legal action for such speech. All other social and professional consequences are on the table.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 3/9/2024, 11:40 AM
@DamageCase82 - Also, it's prosecutable. I'm all in favor of persecution for assholes, just not prosecution.
rkshuttleworth
rkshuttleworth - 3/9/2024, 3:23 PM
@ClintThaHamster - My point is that what are people affirming and why? The status quo isn't actually based on reality and science, but on lobby groups who have no real interest in dealing with the harsh realities of their backgrounds. Current psychology isn't likely going to help them because it is based on a lot of gobbledygook. I have studied some psychology and counseling and I can tell you what we are seeing today is based on people's feelings and not facts. People are in bondage to many things and drugs and surgery only further compound the problem.
rkshuttleworth
rkshuttleworth - 3/9/2024, 3:29 PM
@elcapitan - I certainly am no idiot. I am in constant contact with people who have come out of these kind of backgrounds and I have seen first hand what leads people into these kind of things. I have a cousin whose son became a drag queen and I don't have time to tell you everything about my cousin and her former husband, but they are shitty parents. And my own parents will admit to you they were shitty parents and my brother almost came out as gay until he realized that his parents were part of the reason for his thinking. I know way more than a lot of you blind social followers. That's the way our society tends to be though, a bunch of blind sheep who follow those who cry the loudest out of their feelings rather than out of real rationality.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 3/10/2024, 12:18 PM
@rkshuttleworth - "The status quo isn't actually based on reality and science, but on lobby groups who have no real interest in dealing with the harsh realities of their backgrounds."

False. Gender affirming care (hormones, surgery, social transitioning) IS the accepted treatment recommended by ALL medical, psychological, and pediatric organizations. It's designed to prevent death, and has been shown to decrease depression and suicidal ideation considerably in study after study.

"Current psychology isn't likely going to help them because it is based on a lot of gobbledygook."

According to who? Like, which psychologists are offering alternatives?

"I have studied some psychology and counseling and I can tell you what we are seeing today is based on people's feelings and not facts."

What does this mean, though? Clinical depression, social anxiety, bipolar disorder, are diagnosed based on "feelings" and are treated with a combination of therapy and medication, just like gender dysphoria.

"People are in bondage to many things and drugs and surgery only further compound the problem."

Please be specific, what are these "things?"
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 3/10/2024, 12:21 PM
@rkshuttleworth - I am in "constant contact" with trans, non-binary, gender-nonconforming, and gay and lesbian folks every day. Professionally and socially. They are all much happier now that they are out. Both your experience and mine are anecdotal, though. The science is what matters, and the science is clear.
elcapitan
elcapitan - 3/12/2024, 8:50 AM
@rkshuttleworth - well I guess case closed then. You know a couple of people that are almost gay because of shitty parents. Therefore everyone is in the same boat. If you’re not an idiot then you just sound like one. I am gay. I’ve done drag. And I have wonderful parents. Explain that.
fosdog
fosdog - 4/30/2024, 8:57 AM
@elcapitan - it's not flagrant disregard. she is only trying to keep it real for people who want to live outside of reality. i believe it's a pretty fair comparison. if i'm fat and someone offers me splenda for coffee instead of sugar, shouldn't i have the right to be offended? what if my reality is, i identify as a thin person. shouldn't i believe they are offering me a sugar substitute because they think i'm too fat and don't need any more sugar to make me fatter. no, if i'm fat, i need to accept that reality and do something about it, not be offended because someone pointed out that i'm fat. if someone is a he or she, they don't need to be offended when someone points it out, they need to accept reality.
elcapitan
elcapitan - 4/30/2024, 9:35 AM
@fosdog - your comparisons are laughable and show that you really have no idea what you’re talking about. But you’ve taken a psychology class so obviously you’re the expert. Go ahead, gaysplain it to me.
LandGrizzle
LandGrizzle - 3/8/2024, 9:33 AM
These people are delusional. That’s it, plain and simple.
TheBlueMorpho
TheBlueMorpho - 3/8/2024, 9:34 AM
Transphobia?..... UH OH!!
TheShape9859
TheShape9859 - 3/8/2024, 9:35 AM
Ph what a crock of shit. This is the dumbest shit I've seen in a while
dracula
dracula - 3/8/2024, 10:48 AM
@EZBeast - nice, Oppenheimer will take the states
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