JK Rowling reveals how close friends reacted to her speaking out in trans row
JK Rowling has revealed her friends "begged" her not to speak out on transgender issues
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JK Rowling said friends "begged" her not to express her views on transgender matters and that she had been cautioned not to get engaged in the dispute because of the potential for retribution.
The Harry Potter author urged, however, that she had felt compelled to speak out because women were being “shut down” in her opinion.
Rowling has become one of the biggest names to speak out about the transgender issue, first airing her opinion in 2019.
She believes that dismissing biological sex for gender identity would impact women’s rights.
Rowling said she was "watching women being shut down"
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Talking to podcast The Witch Trials of JK Rowling podcast, the author said: “I wanted to join the public conversation because I was watching women being shut down.
“People are terrified of speaking up so I was really starting to feel this moral obligation. I knew what was coming.
“There are other people who, if I'm honest, probably could speak and don't want to speak.
“They are not going to lose their livelihoods but there are a ton of women who are being forced not to speak because they literally won't make rent.
Rowling said she had an element of protection allowing her to speak out
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The author admitted her friends had told her not to speak out, but Rowling felt she had to.
“I wanted to speak up and join the conversation earlier than I did. I was not held back, but there were people close to me who were begging me not to do it”, she said.
“I think it was out of concern about what that would mean, they had watched what had happened to other public figures and there was certainly a feeling of '’this is not a wise thing to do, don't do it’.”
Rowling also admitted she had an element of protection to voice her concerns given her wealth and stature, but the issue is one that is close to her.
Rowling said "the climate of fear was scaring me more than speaking out"
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“I have this massive concern, I'm watching women being shut down and bullied, their employers being targeted by a movement that I see as authoritarian and illiberal,” she told the podcast.
“I absolutely can say that I was living in a state of real tension similar to when I'm planning to leave my ex-husband because, although I'm not physically in danger, I feel the right thing here is to try and force this conversation.
“I am protected in ways I never dreamt I would be protected. I am also exposed to threats that other people are not exposed to but it's more than that.
“Whatever happens, if everyone decides 'You're an evil witch, we will never buy your books again,' I can feed my family, my world doesn't crash, my kids don't go hungry.
JK Rowling has revealed her friends "begged" her not to speak out on transgender issues
PA
“There came a point where I felt obligated because the climate of fear was scaring me more than speaking out.
“I reached a point where I thought ''I can't keep living with myself if I don't say something,'' so it was personal as well, I have to speak.
“Believe you me, I did not feel any sense of joy in that. I didn't think ''I can't wait for this, this is going to be amazing''.
“I really thought ''This is going to be horrible but I've got to do it so I did''.'