Trans Activists Defend J.K. Rowling After Tabloid Runs “Cruel & Malicious” Interview W/ Her Ex

Dozens of trans and non-binary activists, writers, and community leaders have expressed solidarity with Harry Potter author and transgender skeptic J.K. Rowling, after British gutter rag The Sun published a “cruel and malicious” interview with her former husband.

Per PinkNews, a new open letter to The Sun’s editor Victoria Newton condemns a recent front page, which features the words “I slapped JK and I’m not sorry.”

“We write to you in shock and dismay at the abhorrent front page of The Sun newspaper in which you gave voice to JK Rowling’s abuser,” the letter states.

“Misogyny is a pervasive force and one that treats survivors and victims of sexual and domestic violence as bylines to their abusers story.”

The front page came after Rowling issued a lengthy essay outlining her views on the transgender community, and her flawed opinion that trans activism is harmful to cisgendered women.

The essay discussed her experiences of domestic abuse, but insinuated that allowing trans-inclusive bathrooms will put cisgendered women at risk of violence – a claim which has been routinely debunked.

But the open letter expresses solidarity with Rowling an abuse survivor, and rails against The Sun for turning her experiences into tabloid fodder.

“Though her disclosure of domestic violence came in the middle of a long post detailing her anti-trans views, this does nothing to alter our unwavering solidarity with all survivors of domestic violence including JK Rowling,” the letter states.

The letter calls for The Sun to retract the story and apologise to Rowling, establish editorial guidelines around the reporting of domestic violence, and for News Corp figures including Rupert Murdoch to be held accountable for their role in its publication.

PinkNews reports The Sun has largely dismissed the criticism hurled at it, saying the story itself presented Rowling’s former husband in a negative light.

The open letter mirrors comments from Transgender Victoria media representative Sally Goldner AM, who last week told PEDESTRIAN.TV that cis and trans women alike are the targets of “toxic masculinity.

“We could put our energies towards getting better respect from them, because we’re all damaged by that,” she said.

“I think that’s really more important than anything else.”

You can catch a full list of the letter’s signatories here.


Help is available.

If you require immediate assistance, please call 000.

If you’d like to speak to someone about domestic violence, please call the 1800 

Respect hotline on 1800 737 732 or chat online. 

Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.

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