In the thread she deliberately mocked and misgendered a number of trans women (Picture: EPA)
‘I’d march with you if you were being discriminated against on the basis of being trans.’
Author JK Rowling made that claim in June 2020, and she has come a long way since then – and not for the better.
On Easter Monday, the day that Scotland’s new Hate Crime Act came into effect, she decided to post a series of tweets where she taunted the police to arrest her if they believed she committed an offence.
The law makes it a crime to stir up hatred against someone’s age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity and intersex variation, with a maximum penalty of a seven-year prison sentence.
In the thread she deliberately mocked and misgendered a number of trans women – discussing them alongside prosecuted sex offenders.
Police confirmed that the author won’t be arrested, but Rowling’s behaviour continues to mock the lives of transgender people like me, who are simply trying to live our lives as best we can.
Rowling and her followers were quick to declare this a ‘victory’ despite the law never explicitly covering misgendering as a crime.
As a transgender person, her words feel contemptuous, misleading, and vilifying (Picture: Ugla Stefanía Kristjönudóttir Jónsdóttir )
The whole story was just another example of how this law has been needlessly twisted to suit a false narrative.
It’s also harrowing to see people celebrate her cruel and derogatory thread, which has already led to abuse of those she targeted.
It felt like watching school bullies surround someone and laugh at someone being attacked.
This obsession of Rowling’s is not only unhealthy for her, it doesn’t change the facts – I am a woman.
No social media thread, essay, or childish desperation to get arrested is going to change that. I’m simply getting on with life without bothering anyone, as most trans people in society are.
JK Rowling’s supporters say the new regulations don’t protect women, but while this particular act doesn’t specifically protect women from misogyny, there is a separate act which is expected to be presented later this year to cover misogyny and sexism.
I want you to consider how you would react if Rowling were to make a similar thread about another minority group (Picture: Sharon Kilgannon)
As a transgender person, her words feel contemptuous, misleading, and vilifying.
For those backing her, I want you to consider how you would react if Rowling were to make a similar thread about another minority group, such gay men, lesbians or people of colour.
I think most people would be rightly horrified.
But these attacks from JK Rowling and others don’t happen in a vacuum, they happen alongside a grim environment for trans people.
They happen alongside numbers from the Home Office showing that hate crimes against trans people in England and Wales hit a record high between 2022-2023.
They happen alongside the recent brutal murder of Brianna Ghey, a 16 year old trans girl, that was partly motivated by her being trans.
Reading Rowling’s post as ever, made me sigh with frustration and despair — but also pity.
Trans people seem to live rent free in her head, and she’s chosen to taint her legacy with this, instead of seeing sense and seeing the harm her views cause.
Some think Rowling is bravely standing up to bullies. I think she herself is the bully (Picture: Ugla Stefanía Kristjönudóttir Jónsdóttir )
It continues to boggle my mind why someone with so much wealth and influence chooses to use her platform to advocate against protections for a vulnerable community of people who make up less than 1% of the population.
Some think Rowling is bravely standing up to bullies.
I think she herself is the bully – taking ‘brave’ stances like this while shielded by her wealth, privilege and celebrity status.
When you are a writer of international prominence who has more money than most people can dream of, and probably armed with some of the world’s best lawyers, you practically become untouchable.
It’s clear that she isn’t afraid to use that wealth and privilege to single out trans people – those some people in Scotland and beyond continue to receive daily abuse and hatred thrown at them for simply being themselves.
Frankly, it goes to show just how self-centred JK Rowling is, because this law is about something far bigger than her.
It is about responding to an increasingly radicalised and hostile society, where minority groups and individuals are targeted, humiliated and abused on social media and in real life with impunity and without consequence.
I’m going to dare JK Rowling to do something more meaningful with her life (Picture: Ugla Stefanía Kristjönudóttir Jónsdóttir)
We cannot build a fair and safe society based on exclusion and abuse.
We cannot continue to stir up hatred against vulnerable minorities and expect it to be okay.
There have to be limits on how badly and horribly we can treat other people—and this new act is tackling that.
Those tired voices saying that the law means you can’t ‘offend anyone’ or ‘say anything anymore’ have completely missed the point, as JK Rowling has, and continue to undermine important steps to protect people in society against discrimination.
I urge people to back this law, and I urge JK Rowling to think of a better use of her time.
I know for a fact that if I had the same amount of money as her, that I would probably spend my time travelling the world and enjoying the luxury that I could afford.
I would enjoy a stress free life, where I’d spoil my family and friends, and you wouldn’t catch me spending hours tweeting angry and nasty things about minority groups, that’s for sure.
What a waste.
If you can’t post on social media or communicate with people without stirring up hatred and abusing them, you should probably turn your phone off.
Because whether it is a random troll, or an extraordinarily wealthy author, this type of behaviour is not normal, and continues to show how easy it is to demonise and vilify people you never have to meet in person.
So instead of daring the police to arrest me, I’m going to dare JK Rowling to do something more meaningful with her life.
I’m also going to dare others who are so against our rights to actually interact with, speak with and try to form useful dialogue and relationships with transgender people.
You never know – you might actually learn that we’re just people like you, who are tired of being targeted by parts of the media, politicians and wealthy writers with nothing better to do than talk about us.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk.
Share your views in the comments below.