Current Events > NY Times publishes opinion piece in defense of JK Rowling

(+) Yeah! (+)

And I know it's in defense of JK Rowling because the piece is literally titled "In Defense of JK Rowling".

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/16/opinion/jk-rowling-transphobia.html

What a timely piece given:

1. We're in the middle of one of the most anti-trans legislative sessions for multiple states in history. Over 200 anti-trans bills so far in 2023, with some passing into law.
2. A day before, the NY Times was publicly called out by 170 current and past contributors on its anti-trans reporting: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/02/new-york-times-trans-coverage

To save you a click, there's honestly nothing new in the opinion piece. "I don't see her saying anything transphobic". "None of what she says or does or writes is any proof". "Look at these four quotes where she said she supported trans people". "It's a witch hunt". "People just hate her cause they ain't her". "Anti Rowling people are basically the same as Big Lie and QAnon".

NY Times also published a swastika-shaped crossword puzzle on the first day of Hanukkah.

https://twitter.com/megreenwell/status/1626219939970584581

I'm going to read this just so chuds can't say "but did you read it?"
When I laugh at how fucking stupid it is.

It's amazing how fat the NYT has fallen lol

Doom_Art posted...

It's amazing how fat the NYT has fallen lol

inb4 Scott Steiner

not her first anti trans opinion piece

CyricZ posted...

inb4 Scott Steiner

https://youtu.be/A9xlIaZQSyc

Say what you will about the purpose, as a journalistic piece it is full of holes and dishonesty
https://twitter.com/libbycwatson/status/1626255855011401728

Legacy media has always carried water for fascists and their ilk.

in like 50-100 years people will look back on transphobes the same way that we now look at the white women who were yelling at black kids walking to a segregated school

ReturnOfTheMix posted...

NY Times also published a swastika-shaped crossword puzzle on the first day of Hanukkah.

lmao WHAT

I read through it, even as an opinion piece it's full of blatant misinformation and junk.

Terrible fuckin piece.

The New York Times is a fucking rag.

Super icky off the grey lady. Thought they had more tact than to run a piece like this.

why do people still bother reading opinion pieces

Antifar posted...

Say what you will about the purpose, as a journalistic piece it is full of holes and dishonesty
https://twitter.com/libbycwatson/status/1626255855011401728

Imagine being this proud of not knowing what something meant

Alt right hero NY Times

averagejoel posted...

in like 50-100 years people will look back on transphobes the same way that we now look at the white women who were yelling at black kids walking to a segregated school

I dont know if thats true, because there wasnt the religion aspect attached to segregation.

If religion is still around, transphobia and homophobia will still be around.

bigblu89 posted...

I dont know if thats true, because there wasnt the religion aspect attached to segregation.

If religion is still around, transphobia and homophobia will still be around.

There absolutely was and still is a religious aspect to segregation. It wasn't the main driver like it is with LGBTQ people but it did exist for chunk of the bible thumpers. Mostly Southern Baptists and Methodists.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

Not nearly at the level it is when it comes to anti LGBTQ+ rights.

For example, to the best of my knowledge, theres nothing in the Bible about mixing of the races.

bigblu89 posted...

Not nearly at the level it is when it comes to anti LGBTQ+ rights.

For example, to the best of my knowledge, theres nothing in the Bible about mixing of the races.

I'm pretty sure there's nothing in the bible about being transgender either.

I'm pretty sure in some Islamic countries it's actually more acceptable have gender affirming surgery than be gay.

Lots of religious people don't actually care what their religion does or doesn't say, they just use it as a bludgeon to push things they don't like.

ArchNemo posted...

I'm pretty sure in some Islamic countries it's actually more acceptable have gender affirming surgery than be gay.

Iran.

The Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa about it in '87.

Reassignment surgery is allowed and honestly pretty impressive there.

Bear in mind that tolerance doesn't extend very far. Being trans in Iran sucks, especially if you don't intend to transition.

ReturnOfTheMix posted...

NY Times also published a swastika-shaped crossword puzzle on the first day of Hanukkah.

Lol wow

Rowling has been supportive of non trans progressive causes, like bio women and gay organizations, and she has donated to the Ukraine war cause.

I agree that her trans and sometimes racial takes are garbage, but how do we consolidate the fact that she can and has done good stuff too?

ArchNemo posted...

I'm pretty sure in some Islamic countries it's actually more acceptable have gender affirming surgery than be gay.

DrizztLink posted...

Reassignment surgery is allowed and honestly pretty impressive there.

this is one of those things that people bring up without actually understanding what's going on.

iran isn't pro-transition because they are pro-trans. they are pro-transition because they think it's a cure for being gay.

YoungMutual posted...

Rowling has been supportive of non trans progressive causes, like bio women and gay organizations, and she has donated to the Ukraine war cause.

I agree that her trans and sometimes racial takes are garbage, but how do we consolidate the fact that she can and has done good stuff too?

recognize that the "good things" wealthy people do are primarily for the purpose of laundering their reputation

YoungMutual posted...

bio women

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/7/6/AAe57MAADqfc.jpg

Medussa posted...

this is one of those things that people bring up without actually understanding what's going on.

iran isn't pro-transition because they are pro-trans. they are pro-transition because they think it's a cure for being gay.

That wasn't really my point though, I only mentioned it because someone brought up people using religion to justify racism and that the Bible never mentions it.

I said the bible and other religious books never specifically address being transgender either, and that's never stop the religious right from saying it's against God.

I used Islam/Iran as an example because if it was considered haram in the Qu'ran, they wouldn't allow it for any reason. It's just not something these texts touched on.

Gwynevere posted...

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/7/6/AAe57MAADqfc.jpg

I mean, she has helped *somebody*, is what I mean. She still sucks for not helping all women, just some of them, I agree. But maybe someone's life is better off thanks to her?

YoungMutual posted...

Rowling has been supportive of non trans progressive causes, like bio women and gay organizations, and she has donated to the Ukraine war cause.

I agree that her trans and sometimes racial takes are garbage, but how do we consolidate the fact that she can and has done good stuff too?

By remembering the vast number of organizations that support these causes without being anti-trans.

By holding her accountable and not "letting her have just this one".

Life is not a video game karma meter.

Being mad at the author for having bad opinions makes sense

Being mad at NYT for publishing an opinion piece you disagree with means you just want to live in an echo chamber

g980 posted...

Being mad at the author for having bad opinions makes sense

Being mad at NYT for publishing an opinion piece you disagree with means you just want to live in an echo chamber

Just because an opinion exists doesn't mean the NYT is required to publish it. They have these things called "editors" and an "editorial board".

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._K._Rowling


Aware of the good fortune that led to her wealth and fame,[363] Rowling wanted to use her public image to help others despite her concerns about publicity and the press; she became, in the words of Smith, "emboldened ... to stand up and be counted on issues that were important to her".[364] Rowling's charitable donations before 2012 were estimated by Forbes at $160 million.[175] She was the second most generous UK donor in 2015 (following the singer Elton John), giving about $14 million.[365]

Long interested in issues affecting women and children,[366] Rowling established the Volant Charitable Trust in 2000, named after her mother[367] to address social deprivation in at-risk women, children and youth.[368] She was appointed president of One Parent Families (now Gingerbread) in 2004,[369] after becoming its first ambassador in 2000.[367] She collaborated with Sarah Brown[370] on a book of children's stories to benefit One Parent Families.[367] Together with the MEP Emma Nicholson,[371] Rowling founded the charity now known as Lumos in 2005.[367] Lumos has worked with an orphanage west of Kyiv, Ukraine since 2013;[372][373] after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Rowling offered to personally match up to 1 million in donations to Lumos for Ukraine.[374] Later in 2022, during her advocacy against the proposed Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill,[375] Rowling stated she would found and fund Beira's Place, a women-centred rape help center to provide free support services for biological women[376] survivors of sexual violence.[366] She has donated several hundred thousand pounds to help women lawyers flee from the Taliban's control, helping hundreds of Afghans escape.[377]

Rowling has made donations to support other medical causes. She named another institution after her mother in 2010, when she donated 10 million to found a multiple sclerosis research centre at the University of Edinburgh.[378] She gave an additional 15.3 million to the centre in 2019.[379] During the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, accompanied by an inflatable representation of Lord Voldemort,[380] she read from Peter Pan as part of a tribute to the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.[381] To support COVID-19 relief, she donated six-figure sums to both Khalsa Aid and the British Asian Trust from royalties for The Ickabog.[213]

Several publications in the Harry Potter universe have been sold for charitable purposes. Profits from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the Ages, both published in 2001, went to Comic Relief.[367] To support Children's Voice, later renamed Lumos, Rowling sold a deluxe copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard at auction in 2007. Amazon's 1.95 million purchase set a record for a contemporary literary work and for children's literature.[382][383] Rowling published the book and, in 2013, donated the proceeds of nearly 19 million (then about $30 million) to Lumos.[384][385] Rowling and 12 other writers composed short pieces in 2008 to be sold to benefit Dyslexia Action and English PEN. Rowling's contribution was an 800-word Harry Potter prequel.[386][q] When the revelation that Rowling wrote The Cuckoo's Calling led to an increase in sales,[191] she donated the royalties to ABF The Soldiers' Charity (formerly the Army Benevolent Fund).[367][388]

So, she appears to have lot of philanthropy endeavours, she is an idiot regarding trans issues, no one can debate that, but I really don't think she's Trump or Rupert Murdoch levels of evil, is what I mean

Imagine defending this rich shitty hag

g980 posted...

Being mad at NYT for publishing an opinion piece you disagree with means you just want to live in an echo chamber

I'm glad you can boil down the distaste for a major publication putting out an opinion piece defending someone that pushes rhetoric that gets innocent people discriminated against and killed down to "wanting to live in an echo chamber"

Definitely a thoroughly thought out point of view

Medussa posted...

this is one of those things that people bring up without actually understanding what's going on.

iran isn't pro-transition because they are pro-trans. they are pro-transition because they think it's a cure for being gay.

I didn't say they were beacons of tolerance, I said that they have transitions.

DrizztLink posted...

Bear in mind that tolerance doesn't extend very far. Being trans in Iran sucks, especially if you don't intend to transition.

YoungMutual posted...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._K._Rowling

Aware of the good fortune that led to her wealth and fame,[363] Rowling wanted to use her public image to help others despite her concerns about publicity and the press; she became, in the words of Smith, "emboldened ... to stand up and be counted on issues that were important to her".[364] Rowling's charitable donations before 2012 were estimated by Forbes at $160 million.[175] She was the second most generous UK donor in 2015 (following the singer Elton John), giving about $14 million.[365]

Long interested in issues affecting women and children,[366] Rowling established the Volant Charitable Trust in 2000, named after her mother[367] to address social deprivation in at-risk women, children and youth.[368] She was appointed president of One Parent Families (now Gingerbread) in 2004,[369] after becoming its first ambassador in 2000.[367] She collaborated with Sarah Brown[370] on a book of children's stories to benefit One Parent Families.[367] Together with the MEP Emma Nicholson,[371] Rowling founded the charity now known as Lumos in 2005.[367] Lumos has worked with an orphanage west of Kyiv, Ukraine since 2013;[372][373] after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Rowling offered to personally match up to 1 million in donations to Lumos for Ukraine.[374] Later in 2022, during her advocacy against the proposed Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill,[375] Rowling stated she would found and fund Beira's Place, a women-centred rape help center to provide free support services for biological women[376] survivors of sexual violence.[366] She has donated several hundred thousand pounds to help women lawyers flee from the Taliban's control, helping hundreds of Afghans escape.[377]

Rowling has made donations to support other medical causes. She named another institution after her mother in 2010, when she donated 10 million to found a multiple sclerosis research centre at the University of Edinburgh.[378] She gave an additional 15.3 million to the centre in 2019.[379] During the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, accompanied by an inflatable representation of Lord Voldemort,[380] she read from Peter Pan as part of a tribute to the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.[381] To support COVID-19 relief, she donated six-figure sums to both Khalsa Aid and the British Asian Trust from royalties for The Ickabog.[213]

Several publications in the Harry Potter universe have been sold for charitable purposes. Profits from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the Ages, both published in 2001, went to Comic Relief.[367] To support Children's Voice, later renamed Lumos, Rowling sold a deluxe copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard at auction in 2007. Amazon's 1.95 million purchase set a record for a contemporary literary work and for children's literature.[382][383] Rowling published the book and, in 2013, donated the proceeds of nearly 19 million (then about $30 million) to Lumos.[384][385] Rowling and 12 other writers composed short pieces in 2008 to be sold to benefit Dyslexia Action and English PEN. Rowling's contribution was an 800-word Harry Potter prequel.[386][q] When the revelation that Rowling wrote The Cuckoo's Calling led to an increase in sales,[191] she donated the royalties to ABF The Soldiers' Charity (formerly the Army Benevolent Fund).[367][388]

So, she appears to have lot of philanthropy endeavours, she is an idiot regarding trans issues, no one can debate that, but I really don't think she's Trump or Rupert Murdoch levels of evil, is what I mean

None of that means you can't call her out for having harmful opinions about trans people. If anything, it makes it worse, because she's set herself up as an icon of charity and good will then goes out and says shitty things about transpeople.

Nobody is going to take what Trump says seriously unless they're already deep into that rhetoric. The same can't necessarily be said about JK Rowling.

Is she a bad person? Not necessarily, but that doesn't mean these views aren't harmful or should be tolerated in any way, shape, or form

ArchNemo posted...

None of that means you can't call her out for having harmful opinions about trans people. If anything, it makes it worse, because she's set herself up as an icon of charity and good will then goes out and says shitty things about transpeople.

Nobody is going to take what Trump says seriously unless they're already deep into that rhetoric. The same can't necessarily be said about JK Rowling.

Is she a bad person? Not necessarily, but that doesn't mean these views aren't harmful or should be tolerated in any way, shape, or form

I guess, that makes sense

CyricZ posted...

Just because an opinion exists doesn't mean the NYT is required to publish it. They have these things called "editors" and an "editorial board".

And?

That doesnt mean they shouldnt publish contrarian pieces.

You should value exposure to opposition views even more given how much of the internet serves up shit specifically to appeal your existing worldview

Gwynevere posted...

I'm glad you can boil down the distaste for a major publication putting out an opinion piece defending someone that pushes rhetoric that gets innocent people discriminated against and killed down to "wanting to live in an echo chamber"

Definitely a thoroughly thought out point of view

You are starting with the presumption that the author is wrong as a reason why she shouldnt be able to make her arguments

That is absolutely wanting to live in an echo chamber

g980 posted...

And?

That doesnt mean they shouldnt publish contrarian pieces.

You should value exposure to opposition views even more given how much of the internet serves up shit specifically to appeal your existing worldview

Not all opinions deserve to be heard.

Flat earthers, anti vaxxers, and bigots of any kind shouldn't be given air time just because a large number of people believe utterly moronic things. No good comes from exposure to them either.

g980 posted...

And?

That doesnt mean they shouldnt publish contrarian pieces.

You should value exposure to opposition views even more given how much of the internet serves up shit specifically to appeal your existing worldview

I don't value an opinion defending a powerful bigot who uses her influence to hurt others. I'm not a psycho

Blue_Inigo posted...

I don't value an opinion defending a powerful bigot who uses her influence to hurt others. I'm not a psycho

^deflection

Have the courage to challenge your views

Leave the billionaire transphobe alone!!!!! some shitty freelance writer

YoungMutual posted...

Rowling has been supportive of non trans progressive causes, like bio women and gay organizations, and she has donated to the Ukraine war cause.

I agree that her trans and sometimes racial takes are garbage, but how do we consolidate the fact that she can and has done good stuff too?

What's there to consolidate. A small portion of her massive wealth has ostensibly gone to good causes. That doesn't absolve her of anything.