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My lovely daughter; courage, honesty and @jk_rowling
My daughter, who is 12, came to me earlier this evening swallowing back tears.
She had been on a group call with her friends, all lovely sweet girls.
Two of her friends announced that @jk_rowling is transphobic.
My lovely daughter; courage, honesty and @jk_rowling
My daughter, who is 12, came to me earlier this evening swallowing back tears.
She had been on a group call with her friends, all lovely sweet girls.
Two of her friends announced that @jk_rowling is transphobic.
My d immediately jumped to her defence.
She asked them if they'd actually read the tweets. They read the tweets out loud. The friends argued that JK had "hidden meaning beneath the words". That her books were now authored by Emma Watson (!)
She asked them if they'd actually read the tweets. They read the tweets out loud. The friends argued that JK had "hidden meaning beneath the words". That her books were now authored by Emma Watson (!)
Also that she had once supported a "woman who had been mean to a transperson at work and lost her job for it." @MForstater
Daughter told them that this wasn't what happened at all. She told them that Maya used preferred pronouns. That there was never a bullied transperson...
Daughter told them that this wasn't what happened at all. She told them that Maya used preferred pronouns. That there was never a bullied transperson...
at Maya's work, that this didn't happen. She didn't mention HOW she knew the Maya case so well, from discussions with me.
She told them JKR stood against hate, that she had said she would march with transpeople for their right to live free from discrimination, and meant it.
She told them JKR stood against hate, that she had said she would march with transpeople for their right to live free from discrimination, and meant it.
She told them that JK had un-billionaired herself through charitable giving. That she was a wonderful, brave kind woman.
And then the call ended because I'm a rotten mother who has programmed the WiFi to auto cut off small people in the evening, so she was peremptorily booted off the call. And she came to find me.
And then my darling girl really broke down in sobs on my lap.
I've taught her to be courageous, to stand up for what she knows to be true, because lies cause harm. I've taught her how not to follow the herd, and how to stand being the odd one out with an unpopular belief.
I've taught her to be courageous, to stand up for what she knows to be true, because lies cause harm. I've taught her how not to follow the herd, and how to stand being the odd one out with an unpopular belief.
But nothing stops it hurting when your lovely, dear, kind friends think you are 'mean'. When you feel exposed and vulnerable and you simply can't get someone to understand, no matter what you say. When not even one of your friends stands with you.
It's not terribly easy in your forties, but it's awfully hard when you're twelve.
She asked me when I thought this horrible time would be over, when people could properly talk about sex again without it being so fraught. Or without getting sacked.
I told her we're working on it
She asked me when I thought this horrible time would be over, when people could properly talk about sex again without it being so fraught. Or without getting sacked.
I told her we're working on it
And that sometimes you find yourself ahead of the curve waiting for others to catch up. But they do, and they will.
They will.
They will.
She has asked me to 'tell' @jk_rowling that she thinks you are immensely brave, and she's sorry about your friends making you feel alone, and about all the untrue things said about you, and also about Maya, and all the people trying to be fair and honest and brave.
(She wishes she had not procrastinated sending Ickabog drawings too, but that's a life lesson for another day.)
I'm not sure she realises the deluge of content Twitter places on JKR's feed, and the likelihood this sentiment will find its way home to JK is very small.
I'm not sure she realises the deluge of content Twitter places on JKR's feed, and the likelihood this sentiment will find its way home to JK is very small.
That doesn't matter. I've told her I'll try.
I've told her that she makes me supremely proud. She always will.
So to Jo, and to all of you standing up not just to your enemies, but also to your loved ones with courage, a brave little 12 year old says thank you.
/End
I've told her that she makes me supremely proud. She always will.
So to Jo, and to all of you standing up not just to your enemies, but also to your loved ones with courage, a brave little 12 year old says thank you.
/End
