J.K. Rowling called out for 'transphobia' following controversial Mother's Day post

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By Nasima Khatun

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J.K. Rowling has faced backlash on social media after she posted a controversial tweet in honor of Mother's Day in the United Kingdom.

The author, best known for being the mastermind behind the Harry Potter franchise, took to Twitter - better known now as X - to sarcastically recognize what she referred to as "Birthing Parent Day" after previously being called out for making "transphobic" remarks about men and women.

"Happy Birthing Parent Day to all whose large gametes were fertilized resulting in small humans whose sex was assigned by doctors making mostly lucky guesses," she wrote alongside the heart and flower bouquet emoji.

Have a look at the tweet below:

Of course, this elicited some pretty strong reactions from people online, with many slamming the 58-year-old for continuing to share allegedly transphobic tweets.

One user questioned whether the author hated "adoption" too, and when asked to clarify their remarks, they responded: "Nope, just pointing out how in her desperate attempt to be transphobic she threw strays at cis women."

"Does it make you feel big and powerful to make fun of LGBTQIA+ people?" added another.

A third also hit back with: "Bet you spent more time on this tweet than the fantastic beasts: the crimes of grindelwald script. Phewwwwwww."

And one user added: "You really are an awful hateful person. How broken are you that your global success and billions income doesn't result in a generous kind inclusive person. Le Guin was right that you're 'stylistically ordinary, imaginatively derivative, and ethically rather mean-spirited.'"

Ouch.

However, others defended the Harry Potter creator, claiming she was "trolling" her audience.

J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling has been slammed online after her recent Mother's Day post. Credit: Mike Marsland/WireImage/Getty

This isn't the first time Rowling has received backlash for her tweets regarding sex and gender identity.

In a tweet response back in October, she suggested that she would rather go to jail for misgendering people after a political conversation saw a UK party propose the idea that people could be handed up to a two-year sentence for gender-related "aggravated offenses" which includes misgendering, which is a term that describes being referred to as the wrong gender.

And the year before, she addressed Scotland’s proposed Gender Recognition Act in a lengthy statement posted to her website.

"A few weeks ago, I posted a picture of myself wearing a T-shirt printed with the words 'Nicola Sturgeon: Destroyer of Women’s Rights' on Twitter," she wrote. "I did this to show my solidarity with women who were protesting outside the Scottish Parliament against the proposed Gender Recognition Act reform bill.

"Soon, then, in Scotland, it may be easier to change the sex on your birth certificate than it is to change it on your passport," she continued. "In consequence, intact males who’re judged to have met the meagre requirements will be considered as 'valid' and entitled to protections as those who’ve had full sex reassignment surgery, and more male-bodied individuals will assert more strongly a right to be in women’s spaces such as public bathrooms, changing rooms, rape support centres, domestic violence refuges, hospital wards and prison cells that were hitherto reserved for women."

J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling has always been vocal about her position regarding gender identity. Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for for Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights)

Rowling's position has sparked discussions about the responsibility of public figures to use their platforms responsibly and the impact of their statements on marginalized communities, as well as further debates on issues surrounding feminism and free speech.

Featured Image Credit: John Phillips/Getty

J.K. Rowling called out for 'transphobia' following controversial Mother's Day post

vt-author-image

By Nasima Khatun

Article saved!Article saved!

J.K. Rowling has faced backlash on social media after she posted a controversial tweet in honor of Mother's Day in the United Kingdom.

The author, best known for being the mastermind behind the Harry Potter franchise, took to Twitter - better known now as X - to sarcastically recognize what she referred to as "Birthing Parent Day" after previously being called out for making "transphobic" remarks about men and women.

"Happy Birthing Parent Day to all whose large gametes were fertilized resulting in small humans whose sex was assigned by doctors making mostly lucky guesses," she wrote alongside the heart and flower bouquet emoji.

Have a look at the tweet below:

Of course, this elicited some pretty strong reactions from people online, with many slamming the 58-year-old for continuing to share allegedly transphobic tweets.

One user questioned whether the author hated "adoption" too, and when asked to clarify their remarks, they responded: "Nope, just pointing out how in her desperate attempt to be transphobic she threw strays at cis women."

"Does it make you feel big and powerful to make fun of LGBTQIA+ people?" added another.

A third also hit back with: "Bet you spent more time on this tweet than the fantastic beasts: the crimes of grindelwald script. Phewwwwwww."

And one user added: "You really are an awful hateful person. How broken are you that your global success and billions income doesn't result in a generous kind inclusive person. Le Guin was right that you're 'stylistically ordinary, imaginatively derivative, and ethically rather mean-spirited.'"

Ouch.

However, others defended the Harry Potter creator, claiming she was "trolling" her audience.

J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling has been slammed online after her recent Mother's Day post. Credit: Mike Marsland/WireImage/Getty

This isn't the first time Rowling has received backlash for her tweets regarding sex and gender identity.

In a tweet response back in October, she suggested that she would rather go to jail for misgendering people after a political conversation saw a UK party propose the idea that people could be handed up to a two-year sentence for gender-related "aggravated offenses" which includes misgendering, which is a term that describes being referred to as the wrong gender.

And the year before, she addressed Scotland’s proposed Gender Recognition Act in a lengthy statement posted to her website.

"A few weeks ago, I posted a picture of myself wearing a T-shirt printed with the words 'Nicola Sturgeon: Destroyer of Women’s Rights' on Twitter," she wrote. "I did this to show my solidarity with women who were protesting outside the Scottish Parliament against the proposed Gender Recognition Act reform bill.

"Soon, then, in Scotland, it may be easier to change the sex on your birth certificate than it is to change it on your passport," she continued. "In consequence, intact males who’re judged to have met the meagre requirements will be considered as 'valid' and entitled to protections as those who’ve had full sex reassignment surgery, and more male-bodied individuals will assert more strongly a right to be in women’s spaces such as public bathrooms, changing rooms, rape support centres, domestic violence refuges, hospital wards and prison cells that were hitherto reserved for women."

J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling has always been vocal about her position regarding gender identity. Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for for Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights)

Rowling's position has sparked discussions about the responsibility of public figures to use their platforms responsibly and the impact of their statements on marginalized communities, as well as further debates on issues surrounding feminism and free speech.

Featured Image Credit: John Phillips/Getty