J.K. Rowling can't leave the LGBTQ+ community alone and it's getting weird
J.K. Rowling can't leave the LGBTQ+ community alone and it's getting weird | Opinion I grew up on 'Harry Potter' and the world J.K. Rowling built. It's sad to see her transphobia in action.
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JK Rowling responds to 'Harry Potter' stars' support of trans people
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have opposed the "Harry Potter" author's anti-trans rhetoric in recent years.
unbranded - Entertainment
It's no secret that 'Harry Potter' author J.K. Rowling has spent the past few years spewing transphobic hate any chance she gets. Now, her hatred of other members of the LGBTQ+ community is making headlines. She just can't stop.
April 6 was International Asexuality Day, celebrating members of the LGBTQ+ community who do not experience sexual attraction. Rowling had a problem with that, taking to X (formerly Twitter) to go on a bigoted rant about people whose lives she refuses to understand: 'Happy International Fake Oppression Day to everyone who wants complete strangers to know they don't fancy a shag.'
She continued her barrage of hate in the replies, adding: 'Sure, people are still killed for being gay in a lot of countries, but straight people who don't fancy a quickie are being literally ignored to death.' She was also confused about how people can identify as gay and be asexual.
Sure, she could do a little research and quickly discover that sexual attraction is different than romantic attraction, but why would she do that when it's even easier to continue dunking on vulnerable groups? Why learn anything when you can just punch down for social media clout?
J.K. Rowling is transphobic every chance she gets
Lest we forget that she also hates transgender people, Rowling also got into it with 'Last Week Tonight' host John Oliver when the comedian aired an episode about the panic over trans women competing in sports.
The author claimed Oliver was a sellout, alleged that standing up for transgender people 'was the cost of doing business' and told him to 'read the f------ room.'
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If we're reading the room, surely Rowling knows that her views alienate people and add to the intense hate trans people face daily. Instead of trying to understand trans people, she'd rather hide behind her hateful comments.
Surely, she could be doing something better with her time: writing, volunteering or getting a hobby. Instead, she has decided that she's willing to die on her hill of transphobia, tarnishing her reputation and hurting her fans in the process.
'Harry Potter' was part of my childhood. Rowling's politics ruined it.
Like millions of people around the world, I grew up reading the Potter series. My mother took my younger sister and me to the midnight release of the 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' book in 2005. I held on to my ticket stub from the 2011 midnight premiere of 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2' for years.
Like many of the people who read those books, I was heartbroken when Rowling began using her platform to disparage the transgender community.
It's ironic that a woman who created a series about witchcraft and fantastical things is unable to comprehend things as simple as people not experiencing sexual attraction or identifying with genders that don't match the sex they were assigned at birth.
According to The Sunday Times Rich List 2024, Rowling is worth £945 million – the equivalent of more than $1.23 billion. She has so much money that she could live a life of seclusion for the rest of her days, or at least enough money that she doesn't need to be bothered by what is happening politically.
Instead, she is using her massive platform and hordes of wealth to put down vulnerable communities. In the process, she has soiled her reputation and harmed people who were once fans of hers.
Imagine being so hateful that you relish in it.
I wish Rowling and other billionaires would use their money and time to advocate for the betterment of society instead of villainizing people who have done nothing wrong. But maybe I'm more imaginative than she is.
Follow USA TODAY columnist Sara Pequeño on X, formerly Twitter: @sara__pequeno
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