Harry Potter scribe J.K. Rowling is being accused of transphobia after supporting fired researcher Maya Forstater.
Forstater was fired from her position at the Center for Global Development, where she worked from 2015 to 2018, after she was accused of transphobia for remarks she made on Twitter that included “men cannot change into women.”
What I am so surprised at is that smart people who I admire, who are absolutely pro-science in other areas, and champion human rights & womens rights are tying themselves in knots to avoid saying the truth that men cannot change into women (because that might hurt mens feelings)
— Maya Forstater (@MForstater) September 30, 2018
Forstater disputed her firing and brought it before an employment tribunal back in November.
This is what I believe about sex and gender identity……
My witness statement to the tribunal https://t.co/LwUgfSCvdY
— Maya Forstater (@MForstater) November 22, 2019
During her testimony at the employment tribunal, Forstater explained why she was fired.
“Having researched the issues during 2017–2018, in August 2018 I began to include in my personal twitter posts content about the difference between sex and gender identity, the UK government’s proposal to allow people to change their legal sex through “self-identification”, and discussion about how this would affect women’s rights. I also began to write a long-form article or blog post about the issue in relation to international development and I shared drafts and discussed the issue with colleagues.”
Forstater continued:
“It was these manifestations of my belief which led to me losing my job at CGD (the events which will be considered by the tribunal at the full merits hearing if there is one).”
She would then state and defend her beliefs.
““Sex” is a material reality which should not be conflated with “gender” or “gender identity”.
Being female is an immutable biological fact, not a feeling or an identity.
Sex matters.”
She added:
“I believe that there are only two sexes in human beings (and indeed in all mammals): male and female. This is fundamentally linked to reproductive biology. Males are people with the type of body which, if all things are working, are able to produce male gametes (sperm). Females have the type of body which, if all things are working, is able to produce female gametes (ova), and gestate a pregnancy.”
She continued:
“Sex is determined at conception, through the inheritance (or not) of a working copy of a piece of genetic code which comes from the father (generally, apart from in very rare cases, carried on the Y chromosome).”
Forstater would go on to defend her belief:
“[Sex] is not a spectrum, although I know that’s a popular theory. There are only two sexes in humans. As I say, sex is the language we use to describe reproduction. People have potential to be either large gamete producers, or small gamete producers. No one produces both; no one produces something else.”
Following her testimony, which can be read in full here, Forstater would receive judgment earlier this week.
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
The Judgment reads, “The specific belief that the Claimant holds as determined in the reasons, is not a philosophical belief protected by the Equality Act 2010.”
Following this judgment, Harry Potter scribe J.K. Rowling would show her support of Maya Forstater using the #IStandWithMaya.
Rowling wrote on Twitter, “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?”
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
Following this tweet, Rowling would be accused of transphobia for supporting Forstater. Not only would she be accused of transphobia, but she would also be labeled a TERF, which stands for trans-exclusionary radical feminist.”
I found out I didn’t get a job that I applied for and JK Rowling is transphobic, so I made a cheeseburger for breakfast. Who gives a shit. pic.twitter.com/NGtFh9yoDt
— Nat Towsen (@NatTowsen) December 19, 2019
I don’t care if I get banned for this pic.twitter.com/diivr4ezAe
— ミア (@vocamemes) December 19, 2019
Silver lining about JK Rowling being a TERF is that Potter’s popularity has long since peaked, and I really can’t see young kids today giving all that much of a shit what she thinks.
— memento hikikomori (@StellarBoor) December 19, 2019
Oh shit. JK Rowling is a transphobe. Who could’ve EVER guessed that 🙄 https://t.co/KFlSqE8Z30
— Tania Singh (@TwinklingTania) December 19, 2019
Good morning. Fuck JK Rowling and every other terf. Hermione agrees. pic.twitter.com/Mdp1b8tVWb
— Mark (dreaming of Festivus⛄) (@MarxGBaker) December 19, 2019
#IStandWithMaya I don’t! Shes transphobic and is a TERF. Just like JK Rowling. You’re entitled to believe whatever you want to believe but to openly spew bigotry and to imply thats trans women are predators is gross pic.twitter.com/ujInzqAZjv
— tyler (@tyleranny) December 19, 2019
Related: J.K. Rowling Announces 4 New Harry Potter Books
Others would call for Rowling to be cancelled.
I love Harry Potter but totally cancel J. K. Rowling… She’s on Umbridge’s side
— …Lore… (@InLo90) December 19, 2019
JK Rowling JK Rowling
at the beginning at the end of
of the decade. the decade. pic.twitter.com/cT7gPX2ZNW— .:RiotGrl:. (@RiotGrlErin) December 19, 2019
If you were (wrongly) on the fence about J.K. Rowling being a TERF, she has now been more-than-explicit about it. Where is cancel culture when you really need it? #TransIsBeautiful
— ᑎIᑕK ᗰIᒪᒪᗴᖇ (@uncannydazzler) December 19, 2019
Some just simply insulted Rowling.
JK Rowling can suck my ass tbf
— Kate Leth (@kateleth) December 19, 2019
Trans rights are human rights, trans women are women, and JK Rowling is an asshole
— ben mekler (@benmekler) December 19, 2019