Newstalk has seen significant backlash online after accusing Harry Potter author JK Rowling of “opposing rights for trans people” similar to Vladimir Putin.
Rowling has been noted for her belief that transgender self-identification was a threat to women in areas such as sports, women’s toilets and changing rooms. She has also expressed concern that young people, particularly young women, may irreversibly damage themselves by “transitioning” to another gender.
For these views, Rowling has received significant backlash from trans activists, leading Vladimir Putin to say that both himself and Rowling were the victims of “cancel culture.”
Rowling responded by accusing Putin of “slaughtering civilians for the crime of resistance,” as well as jailing and poisoning his critics.
Critiques of Western cancel culture are possibly not best made by those currently slaughtering civilians for the crime of resistance, or who jail and poison their critics. #IStandWithUkraine https://t.co/aNItgc5aiW
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 25, 2022
Newstalk responded with an article entitled “JK Rowling Distances Herself From Putin.”
The article had a tweet attached which read:
“Both Putin and Rowling have a long history of opposing rights for trans people.
However, the Harry Potter author was quick to distance herself from the Kremlin after Putin said they had both been unfairly cancelled by the west.”
https://twitter.com/NewstalkFM/status/1507656440223309830
The Newstalk tweet received overwhelmingly negative responses from social media users.
“Rowling has a record of defending women’s rights, that is very different than denying trans rights,” said one woman.
https://twitter.com/Liv8586/status/1507680344379740163
“You guys would want to rethink that headline if you don’t want to get a letter from her lawyers,” said another.
“She has no history of “opposing rights for trans people”. None.”
You guys would want to rethink that headline if you don’t want to get a letter from her lawyers. She has no history of “opposing rights for trans people”. None.
— AM Scanlon (@amscanlon) March 26, 2022
“That is shameful comment by you Newstalk,” one user said.
“Especially so soon after having a discussion about Sonia O Sullivan’s brave article about women in sport.”
That is shameful comment by you Newstalk espcially so soon after having a discussion about Sonia O Sullivans brave article about women in sport article
— Gerard (@downgerd) March 26, 2022
Hatchet job from a second rate “journalist”. JKR is standing up for womens rights and some grpup attempts to dilute them.
— RB (@SMNK1972) March 26, 2022
https://twitter.com/PMernagh/status/1507659250490875907
Just in case there were any doubts about the dominant ideology over at Newstalk lol.
— McIlhatton (@WootLaw) March 26, 2022
Standing up for womens rights is not the same as opposing rights for trans people. Language is important.
— Annie Devlin (@AnnieDevlin) March 26, 2022
https://twitter.com/DrBethWallace/status/1507711873067716612