Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has been criticised after supporting a woman who lost her job after posting what have been branded as transphobic tweets.
Maya Forstater lost her job at poverty think tank Centre for Global Development after questioning a new government policy that will allow people to self-identify as any gender.
“Judgement received. Bad news (for now) Stonewall law won this round,” Forstater tweeted, before embarking on a thread of tweets transmitting her “shock and disbelief”. See the thread below.
Judgement received. Bad news (for now) Stonewall law won this round.
Here is my statement in thread form.
I struggle to express the shock and disbelief I feel at reading this judgmenthttps://t.co/g149gB7rJz
— Maya Forstater (@MForstater) December 18, 2019
“My belief as i set out in my witness statement is that sex is a biological fact & is immutable,” she continued. “There are two sexes. Men are male. Women are female. It is impossible to change sex. These were until very recently understood as basic facts of life.”
Rowling then tweeted supporting Forstater after she lost an employment tribunal, posting the popular hashtag #IStandWithMaya.
“Dress however you please,” she tweeted. “Call yourself whatever you like. Sleep with any consenting adult who’ll have you. Live your best life in peace and security. But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real?”
Dress however you please.
Call yourself whatever you like.
Sleep with any consenting adult who’ll have you.
Live your best life in peace and security.
But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real? #IStandWithMaya #ThisIsNotADrill— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) December 19, 2019
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Many Twitter users in the replies to Rowling’s tweet have supported her, thanking her for “speaking out” on the issue — though she is also being heavily criticised for the support she’s given Forstater.
“The saddest thing is that the woman who inspired millions of kids to be good to each other, include each other despite our differences and stand up against those who would oppress us – is now a bigot herself,” one user wrote.
The saddest thing is that the woman who inspired millions of kids to be good to each other, include each other despite our differences and stand up against those who would oppress us – is now a bigot herself.
Good job.
— incompatible w/ human dignity (@notCursedE) December 19, 2019
Another tweeter said that “Maya seems very anti-trans and that is not okay” in reply to Rowling’s tweet.
Biological sex is absolutely real but it is still more than a binary and having your sex changed to match your identity is real and valid. Maya seems very anti-trans and that is not okay. I thought you supported all people. (Not debating the law here just the anti-transness)
— Brian Hovland (@Behvlnd) December 19, 2019