Author J. K. Rowling seemed to have turned a corner just a few weeks ago, easing off the insensitive comments and using her Twitter account for what it’s there for, engaging with fans, making pleasant zings and dispelling myths about Harry Potter’s origins. Unfortunately, at the apex of worldwide demonstrations aimed at dismantling inherently prejudicial power structures, not to mention the first week of Pride month, Rowling chose this time to stand her ground against inclusive language.
The British writer was set off by an op-ed about healthcare inequality published by Devex, a D.C.-based platform that connects aid groups, that used the phrase “people who menstruate” in its headline. Knowing full well that there are trans men and non-binary individuals who have periods, she derisively tweeted “‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”
Facing an immediate backlash from followers, many of whom calmly and respectfully asked her to better educate herself, she continued on, leading to the inarticulate conclusion that “If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.”
These comments were met with considerable condemnation on Twitter.
The op-ed published by Devex, written by Marni Sommer, Virginia Kamowa, and Therese Mahon, is a plea for investment in menstrual health and hygiene in developing and crowded areas in the wake of COVID-19, and worth reading.
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