‘STRAIGHT, WHITE, MIDDLE-AGED BLOKE’: J.K. Rowling starts row with trans football manager
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If anyone thought the hate-crime laws in Scotland would stop J.K. Rowling from taking aim at the transgender community, think again.
The Harry Potter creator was criticized for mocking Lucy Clark, the new manager of Sutton United’s women’s soccer team — who happens to be trans.
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‘STRAIGHT, WHITE, MIDDLE-AGED BLOKE’: J.K. Rowling starts row with trans football manager Back to video
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Rowling took to X to respond to the news, writing, “When I was young all the football managers were straight, white, middle-aged blokes, so it’s fantastic to see how much things have changed.”
After it was suggested that she was “comparing” Clark to a ‘straight, white, middle-aged bloke,” the best-selling author cheekily replied: “I didn’t compare him to one. He IS one.”
The original congratulatory post to Clark came from Pride UK.
“Lucy Clark, the world’s first openly transgender referee, has made history by becoming the first trans manager in the top 5 divisions of English women’s football,” the charity wrote of Clark’s new job. “FABULOUS!”
But Pride UK has deleted their post after Rowling tainted it and has since issued a public apology to Clark.
“A few days ago we posted a historic news item about Lucy Clark being the first transgender football manager in English women’s football,” the statement began.
“Unbeknownst to us the post blew up thanks to J.K. Rowling and her hate brigade causing Lucy to experience disgusting hate to which we was asked to take the post down,” it continued.
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“We wholeheartedly apologize to Lucy for this,” the note went on. “It was never our intention to allow it to cause her pain or attract this barrage of hate.”
That said, Clark also took to X to share her thoughts on the last few days.
“Another day of hate fuelled transphobia against me… but hey guess what I am living my best life,” Clark wrote. “Wake up everyday with my beautiful family around me. Everyday I laugh and have things to look forward too. Who’s winning at life…the one who’s happy and smiling or those hating?”
It’s safe to say Rowling did not heed Elon Musk’s advice to write about more “positive” things.
The writer’s comments about Clark come after she shared a post in which an X user that wrote, “If you are angry or think it’s ‘unfair’ for a trans girl to beat a cis girl in a sporting event then fundamentally you don’t think trans girls are ‘real’ girls. It’s that simple.”
Rowling replied: “Yes, that’s exactly what we’re saying. Girls are being robbed of honours and opportunities by mediocre, uber-privileged, establishment-enabled boys.”
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