Thursday, 28 Mar 2024

Opinion | J.K. Rowling and Trans Women: A Furor

To the Editor:

Re “In Defense of J.K. Rowling,” by Pamela Paul (column, Feb. 17):

This is a distressingly one-sided view of J.K. Rowling’s comments. The outrage toward Ms. Rowling is justified. She is a wealthy, powerful author who is using her far-reaching platform to push the narrative that trans women — who exist on the farthest fringes of our societies — pose a threat to her. This is the opposite of reality.

Trans women are discriminated against daily and suffer abuse, aggression, assault and even murder at the hands of cisgender people. They need support from the mainstream, not nuanced criticism.

While this column does present a defense of J.K. Rowling, it does not paint an accurate picture of her comments. For example, it cherry-picks quotes describing her support for trans people that are comparable to Donald Trump saying “I love Hispanics” after making repeated racist comments against them. It lists two actors from the Harry Potter movies who support her but disregards the many actors from the franchise who condemned her stance.

Ms. Rowling’s arguments may appear reasonable, but the allies she has made and stances she has taken are indefensible.

Brian Eberle
Somerville, Mass.

To the Editor:

J.K. Rowling arguably did more to promote children’s literacy than any other author in history, and that should be considered her greatest contribution to the world. Her views are not transphobic; they are pro-biological women, who still don’t enjoy full equality or representation or safety in any space.

The lived experiences of trans women and bio women are not the same, even if our struggles are similar. We are different. Bio women can be supportive of trans women and want spaces for bio women only, like sports competitions and domestic violence centers.

Demanding equal access to every space when bio women don’t yet fully have that is like jumping to the front of a very long line and then screaming at everyone who calls you out for it. Bravo to Ms. Rowling for using her clout and position to speak out.

Kristine Kinsey
Knoxville, Tenn.

To the Editor:

Pamela Paul continues to stoke a dangerous fire. Last year, she wrote another piece regarding the use of the word “queer” (“Why the Word ‘Gay’ Is Falling Out of Fashion,” Oct. 24).

I pose the question to Ms. Paul: Why must you continue to be the devil’s advocate?

L.G.B.T.Q.+ communities are under attack, especially young transgender people, whose rights to essential health care are being threatened by legislation across the U.S. Now is not the time to be defending David Sedaris’s questionable claims about the word queer or J.K. Rowling’s comments that may or may not be transphobic.

It doesn’t necessarily matter what Ms. Rowling thinks about trans people or what Mr. Sedaris thinks about the word queer. What we need to hear are the voices of transgender people.

If we continue to amplify the voices of figures like Mr. Sedaris or Ms. Rowling over the people in our country who are actually under attack, then there is an extremely grim outlook for our future.

Charles Yale
Omaha

To the Editor:

As a lesbian feminist, I applaud Pamela Paul for having the courage to take on this highly controversial subject. I have followed the debate in my community and elsewhere. The lack of objectivity and ability to think critically about the issues raised by J.K. Rowling’s position worries me. Many in my community have self-censored out of fear and remained silenced.

Perhaps now the media grandstanding by a bunch of attention-seeking wannabe “influencers” in the L.G.B.T.Q.+ communities can be parsed and a meaningful dialogue dealing with biological women’s needs can take place.

Sandra Langer
Queens

To the Editor:

Pamela Paul’s column about the trans rights controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling got a lot of things right. Ms. Paul covered relevant facts thoroughly and concisely, but a critical detail was not explored.

As Ms. Paul’s column says, Ms. Rowling “has asserted the right to spaces for biological women only, such as domestic abuse shelters and sex-segregated prisons.” This stance effectively denies trans women any access to shelters for victims of domestic violence or rape, or to detention facilities that align with their presenting gender. Since almost no trans-only spaces exist, denying trans women access to already underfunded and scarce facilities that do exist leaves them in violent, life-threatening situations with no recourse.

It is possible that Ms. Rowling, Ms. Paul and others are unaware of just how dangerous it is for a transgender woman to be housed with male prisoners, or how devastating it is for a transgender person to be refused shelter from a violent living situation. Those with more privilege and access must always seek more understanding of those different from ourselves before advocating to deny their rights and access to necessary resources.

Dot Brauer
Williston, Vt.
The writer is former director of the L.G.B.T.Q.A. Center (now the Prism Center) at the University of Vermont.

To the Editor:

I am so glad someone is addressing this issue, and I want to thank both J.K. Rowling and Pamela Paul for their courage. The most important point for me was what the host of a podcast about Ms. Rowling said: “A lot of people think that Rowling is using her privilege to attack a vulnerable group. But she sees herself as standing up for the rights of a vulnerable group.”

I agree. I have supported trans rights for ages. I have an incredibly dear friend who underwent the surgery whom I have supported and cheered on throughout her journey. But acknowledging a distinction can’t or shouldn’t be viewed as fearful, unfair or hateful.

It is unfortunate that more people don’t recognize that women born biologically female have been and are still a marginalized group in and of themselves, and that once again we’re under assault.

Jennifer Humeniuk
St. Catharines, Ontario

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