Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has sparked outrage on Twitter again after another transphobic tweetstorm prompted after a Twitter user posted a screenshot which showed she had “liked” another user's post that compared hormone prescriptions to anti-depressants.
That post read: “Hormone prescriptions are the new anti depressants. Yes they are sometimes necessary and lifesaving, but they should be a last resort. Pure laziness for those who would rather medicate than put in the time and effort to heal people's minds.”
Rowling claimed the screenshot was false but then proceeded to launch into a defense which included some bizarre remarks about conversion therapy.
Began Rowling: “I've ignored fake tweets attributed to me and RTed widely. I've ignored porn tweeted at children on a thread about their art. I've ignored death and rape threats. I'm not going to ignore this.”
“I've written and spoken about my own mental health challenges, which include OCD, depression and anxiety,” she added. “I did so recently in my essay ‘TERF Wars'. I've taken anti-depressants in the past and they helped me. Many health professionals are concerned that young people struggling with their mental health are being shunted towards hormones and surgery when this may not be in their best interests.”
“Many, myself included, believe we are watching a new kind of conversion therapy for young gay people, who are being set on a lifelong path of medicalisation that may result in the loss of their fertility and/or full sexual function,” Rowling added. “These concerns were explored by the recent BBC documentary about the Tavistock Clinic. Whistleblowers were talking about transitions driven by homophobia As I've said many times, transition may be the answer for some. For others, it won't – witness the accounts of detransitioners. ‘The system sees surgery as the easy fix to girls who do not conform.'”
Rowling posted several more tweets (below) before concluding, “None of that may trouble you or disturb your belief in your own righteousness. But if so, I can't pretend I care much about your bad opinion of me.”
None of that may trouble you or disturb your belief in your own righteousness. But if so, I can't pretend I care much about your bad opinion of me. 11/11
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) July 5, 2020
