Many authors have signed a letter speaking against the hate directed at J.K. Rowling over the transphobia accusations.
Since her transphobia accusations earlier this year, the popular Harry Potter author has been subject to a lot of hate online. Despite her claims otherwise and her long statement on her opinions on gender, people consider her transphobic and have tried to 'cancel' her online.
Her new book, written under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith was published and a murderer in the book would sometimes dress as the opposite gender while committing murder. Many media organisations said this was proof of her transphobia though some reviews said differently and Rowling explained that the character was based off two real murderers.
Now several actors, writers, playwrights, journalists and authors joined together to pen a letter in response to 'hate speech' directed against Rowling. It was published in the Sunday Times at the weekend.
Some of the known names in the list are Booker winner Ian McEwan, actor Griff Rhys Jones, actress Frances Barber and playwright Sir Tom Stoppard.
The letter speaks on how the hate against Rowling is unwarranted.
“Rowling has consistently shown herself to be an honourable and compassionate person, and the appalling hashtag #RIPJKRowling is just the latest example of hate speech directed against her and other women that Twitter and other platforms enable and implicitly endorse,” the letter read, as quoted by The Daily Mail.
“We are signing this letter in the hope that, if more people stand up against the targeting of women online, we might at least make it less acceptable to engage in it or profit from it. We wish JK Rowling well and stand in solidarity with her,” it went on.
All the signatories are Ian McEwan, Lionel Shriver, Griff Rhys Jones, Graham Linehan, Maureen Chadwick, Andrew Davies, Frances Barber, Craig Brown, Alexander Armstrong, Amanda Craig, Philip Hensher, Susan Hill, Jane Thynne, Ben Miller, Simon Fanshawe, James Dreyfus, Frances Welch, Francis Wheen, Arthur Matthews, Aminatta Forna, Joan Smith, Nick Cohen, Kath Gotts, Ann McManus, Eileen Gallagher, Jimmy Mulville, Lizzie Roper, Stella O’Malley, Nina Paley, Julie Bindel, Abigail Shrier, Rachel Rooney, Jane Harris, Tatsuya Ishida, Lisa Marchiano, Zuby, Debbie Hayton, Gillian Philip, Jonny Best, Manick Govinda, Russell Celyn Jones, Magi Gibson, Victoria Whitworth, Dr Mez Packer, Grace Carley, Sam Leith, Malcolm Clark, Shirley Wishart, Charlotte Delaney, Nehanda Ferguson, Justin Hill, Trezza Azzopardi, Birdy Rose, Jess de Wahls, Mo Lovatt, Simon Edge, Tom Stoppard, and Amanda Smyth
This letter inspired another letter written in support of trans and non-binary people.
It reads, “This is a message of love and solidarity for the trans and non-binary community. Culture is, and should always be, at the forefront of societal change, and as writers, editors, agents, journalists, and publishing professionals, we recognise the vital role our industry has in advancing and supporting the wellbeing and rights of trans and non-binary people. We stand with you, we hear you, we see you, we accept you, we love you. The world is better for having you in it. Non-binary lives are valid, trans women are women, trans men are men, trans rights are human rights. From members of the UK and Irish publishing community”.
This letter has been signed by Jeanette Winterson, Sinéad Gleeson, Malorie Blackman, Joanne Harris and many other writers, publishers and journalists.
These open letters for something one believes in seem a far better addition to this conversation than hate towards one person's opinion.
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