February 22, 2023 at 09:06 GMT
Updated 1 hour ago
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Rowling said she received “direct threats of violence” because of her attitude
Harry Potter author JK Rowling said she’s not concerned about how the backlash to her position on transgender issues will affect her legacy.
She said anyone who thinks she is has “deeply” misunderstood her.
She has been labeled as transphobic for her views on gender identity and allowing trans women into women-only spaces.
Rowling told a new podcast that she “never meant to upset anyone,” but added, “I didn’t feel uncomfortable stepping off my pedestal, though.”
Referring to fans claiming she “ruined” her legacy, the author said they “couldn’t have misunderstood me any deeper.”
“I don’t go around my house thinking about my legacy,” she continued.
“What a pompous way to live your life, walking around thinking what will my legacy be? Whatever, I’ll be dead. I take care of now. I care for the living.”
threat of violence
In a 2020 essay on her website, she wrote, “If you open the doors of bathrooms and dressing rooms to every man who thinks or feels he is a woman… open the door to any men who wish to come in.” “
Her position has been interpreted by some as transphobic, prompting calls to boycott the Harry Potter franchise, which ranges from his books and films to the blockbuster video game Hogwarts Legacy.
Harry Potter film actors such as Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson have criticized Rowling’s comments.
Ralph Fiennes, who played Lord Voldemort, defended the author, calling the abuse she was subjected to “disgusting” and “appalling”.
She has denied being transphobic, saying she respects “every trans person’s right to live in a way that feels authentic and comfortable to them,” and she wants trans people to be free from discrimination and abuse.
Stars like Eddie Izzard and Helena Bonham Carter have also said they don’t see Rowling’s views as transphobic but instead reflect their own experiences of abuse.
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Daniel Radcliffe is among the stars who have distanced themselves from JK Rowling
In the podcast, titled The Witch Trials of JK Rowling, the author said she’s also received “direct threats of violence” because of her attitude.
“I’ve had people come to my house where my kids live and I’ve had my address posted online.
Rowling later said that many questions don’t necessarily have definite answers.
“There’s a great appeal to black and white thinking and I try to show that in the Potter books.
“It’s the easiest place and in many ways the safest place. If you take an all-or-nothing position on anything, you will definitely find comrades, you will easily find community. ‘I swore allegiance to this one simple idea.’
“What I’ve tried to show in the Potter books, and what I feel strongly myself, is that we should mistrust each other the most when we’re sure.”
The Witch Trials of JK Rowling is a seven-part series presented by Megan Phelps-Roper, who grew up in the extremist Westboro Baptist Church for 26 years before fleeing in 2012.
The first two episodes, released on Tuesday, attempt to draw parallels between the Christian fundamentalists who tried to ban the Harry Potter books in the early 2000s and the activists who criticize Rowling today.
When asked about the protesters who burned their books in the early 2000s, claiming they promoted witchcraft, Rowling said, “By definition, book burners have posed above a line of rational debate.
“There is not a book on this planet that I would burn, including books that I believe are harmful. For me, burning is the last resort for people who cannot argue.”