Yesterday a person on X accused JK Rowling of being not only “far right” but borderline “neo-Nazi” because of her views on trans issues. Of course this sort of thing is nothing new, people on the far left have been saying stuff like this for years at this point. But Rowling noticed this particular claim and took the opportunity to lay out her own political views as she sees them.
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You can keep telling yourself this, but you’re simply wrong. I’m a left-leaning liberal who’s fiercely anti-authoritarian, and if you couldn’t deduce that from my work you haven’t understood a word of it.
I’m not an ideologue. I mistrust ideologies. I’ve never met an ideologue who wasn’t prepared to deny a bit of inconvenient truth to keep their world view intact and I include ideologies with which I find myself in broad sympathy. On the other hand, I am an idealist. I believe in human beings. We are undeniably capable of terrible acts, but the evidence is that we are astoundingly collaborative and mutually supportive, especially when times are hard.
My values haven’t changed; what’s changed is the political landscape. What was once my natural home (a pragmatic centre-left party focused on dealing with economic disparity, championing social liberalism and equal rights) is now dominated by an illiberal, identity-based strain of politics I consider elitist, harmful and out of touch with the day-to-day concerns of regular people, particularly women (and I’ve still lived more than half of my life as a non-wealthy woman, and some of that time was spent in poverty).
There are women with whom I make common cause in the TERF wars I disagree with on other things. Within obvious limits (sucking up to literal Nazis) I don’t particularly care about their personal politics. The reality is that there’s currently an assault on women’s rights unparalleled in my lifetime, and it’s coming from both left and right. If ever there was a time for women across the political spectrum to come together, it is now.
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She added a bit more in response to a tweet asking why she still aligns with the left when many on the left clearly hate her.
The left hates you.
Why do you still identify with that side?
It’s interesting to me when folks do this, but it’s especially interesting when the greatest writer of the last 50 years does.
Which aspects draw you in?
— Brian D. Meeks (@ExtremelyAvg) November 10, 2024
Rowling’s reply once again highlighted identity politics. She doesn’t use the word “woke” here but that’s what she’s talking about.
By the old left/right metrics (which I accept have been massively disrupted) I am left wing. Not hard left, but definitely left of centre. However, I believe the left in the West has taken a dangerous and self-defeating turn, embracing a form of identity politics that is fundamentally destructive to values the left once respected, especially freedom of speech and fundamental liberalism.
I’m not a tribal person, so I haven’t embraced those positions because ‘my team’ has decreed that’s what we’re doing now. Yes, I’ve received a lot of blowback from the left for not meekly accepting the new ethos. But principles aren’t dictated by other people’s approval. I was never in this to feel part of a team (one of the undersung benefits of being a true introvert). So I won’t be running to embrace a new team to feel good about myself, because that would be just as insincere as pretending to believe in the identity stuff to keep myself in with the left.
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Rowling’s explanation reminds me of the one that Elon Musk gave two years ago with this tweet.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 28, 2022
I strongly supported Obama for President, but today’s Democratic Party has been hijacked by extremists
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 29, 2022
That’s essentially what Rowling says above. The identity politics left now dominates the mindset of much of the party which is how you get men competing in women’s sports, men undressing in women’s locker rooms, men showing up in rape crisis centers and convicted male rapists being sent to women’s prisons.
Because she’s not willing to go along with the tribe on these issues, she is seen as a traitor and a right-winger. But in fact, these are 80-20 issues if you poll regular people. It’s only the far left who see anyone who deviates on these issues as extreme. Most people just see these as issues of common sense.
Rowling offered some pretty funny responses in the threat that followed. She clearly hasn’t lost her sense of humor.
I would, but I have no ideas.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 10, 2024
If you’ve read the Harry Potter books (or seen the movies) you may recall the character of Delores Umbridge, a bureaucrat and a petty tyrant who clearly loves exercising the little power she has over others.
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I’ve said it before, but nobody ever realises they’re Umbridge – and yet she’s the most common type of villain in the world.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 10, 2024
And this one is hard to top.
There’s no point having ‘fuck you’ money if you aren’t going to say ‘fuck you’ x
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 10, 2024
I hope she keeps saying it for a long time.
