On Sunday, author JK Rowling offered a lengthy response to an argument she saw on X. The argument was basically saying there was no point in trying to keep trans women out of women's spaces because they would just go in anyway.
We don't leave our doors and windows wide open when we go out because 'thieves will find a way in, anyway.' Strangely, I've never heard anyone say 'let's stop background checking teachers, because paedophiles will always find a way to interfere with kids.'
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 3, 2024
When men - all men,… pic.twitter.com/LY708nhsea
The rest of her tweet reads:
When men - all men, however they identify - are banned from women's spaces, those who disregard the ban can be challenged, inside the space and out. They mark themselves out as suspicious by breaking a rule decent men respect. Nobody claims the rule has successfully kept out every single man who wants to commit voyeurism or sexual assault. What we're saying is that allowing males into female only spaces on the basis of their claim to be a women removes an obstacle that has hitherto been *proven* to increase women and girls' safety.
88% of sexual crimes committed in changing/locker rooms happen in those that are unisex. Why? Because malign men don't have to justify their presence near unclothed women and girls. They can't be challenged. They don't stand out. This is obvious to all but the terminally naive.
It is too seldom noted that every single man arguing for the removal of single sex spaces is arguing for his *own* right to enter those spaces. I know from experience that they feign outrage when this point is put to them, gibbering that they're just being good, virtuous progressives who're standing up for trans women, that they *personally* won't be availing themselves of the new opportunities afforded them. The fact remains that instead of calling out male violence against trans women, and working to make male spaces safer, these men have thrown their energy into the fight to remove women's and girls' rights to safety, privacy and dignity.
And if anyone genuinely believes none of these enthusiastic heterosexual, non-trans-identified male 'allies' aren't personally enthralled by the idea of women and girls losing basic protections, I have several bridges to sell you.
Someone responded to this by pointing to TV presenter India Willoughby as an example.
You've sent me the wrong video. There isn't a lady in this one, just a man revelling in his misogynistic performance of what he thinks 'woman' means: narcissistic, shallow and exhibitionist.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 4, 2024
And that was followed by this:
India didn't become a woman. India is cosplaying a misogynistic male fantasy of what a woman is.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 4, 2024
Willoughby responded to the tweet:
How dare you JK Rowling. I’m a woman. Recognised in law and reality. Honestly, you are such a vile person. The most obviously transphobic thing you could say to a trans person. Go get some therapy. pic.twitter.com/defEBU2i88
— India Willoughby (@IndiaWilloughby) March 4, 2024
But Rowling pushed back on the idea that calling a trans woman a man was discrimination.
Accurately sexing trans-identified men who send misogynistic abuse to women is not discrimination. 'Man' is not a slur. I know a lot of you think the UN should intervene whenever women bruise your egos, but there is no human right to universal validation. pic.twitter.com/xmQfeBEdlR
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 4, 2024
For reference, this is the individual whose precious feelings are more important than truth, according to some of his fellow men. If you think women calling this person a man is more offensive than him publicly fantasising about kidnapping women, I can't help you. pic.twitter.com/mrqIC8jbtL
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 4, 2024
At this point a British news site called Byline TV got involved by inviting both Rowling and Willoughby to be interviewed about their disagreement and trans issues in general. Willoughby agreed and during the interview revealed that she had reported Rowling to the police.
In an interview with Byline TV on Wednesday night, Willoughby — a former “Celebrity Big Brother” contestant and “Loose Women” co-host — claimed that she reported Rowling 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,” Willoughby said in the interview. “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.”
Here's the clip:
EXCLUSIVE 🚨🚨🚨@IndiaWilloughby has called the police and reported @jk_rowling for an alleged hate crime for misgendering her.
— Byline TV (@BylineTV) March 6, 2024
This could lead to Rowling’s arrest. pic.twitter.com/iJMDmDeMaO
Is it a cut-and-dry offense? Not according to JK Rowling who responded to Willoughby on X by highlighting some of Willoughby's own transphobia.
Some time ago, lawyers advised me that not only did I have a clearly winnable case against India Willoughby for defamation, but that India's obsessive targeting of me over the past few years may meet the legal threshold for harassment. 1/5 https://t.co/kMSMBWO7gm
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 6, 2024
Nor have I forgotten India's shocking transphobia. It appears to have slipped what passes for India's mind that he's previously called a fellow trans woman a man on this very site. 3/5 pic.twitter.com/Prk1ikBwLq
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 6, 2024
And here's the meat of her response. Apparently gender critical views are also protected by law.
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. 5/5
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 6, 2024
I'm not an attorney and I have no idea if Rowling's interpretation of British law is correct, but I think it would be a surprise to a lot of people to learn that misgendering a trans woman was now considered a police matter absent any underlying crime. I guess we'll see how the Northumbria Police respond. Meanwhile...
That's fair.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 7, 2024
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