Ian McEwan says JK Rowling’s transgender views are ‘hardly worth a death threat’

Ian McEwan has said that JK Rowling views on transgender rights are “hardly worth a death threat”.

The Atonement and Enduring Love author commented on the subject while discussing the abuse the Harry Potter creator’s received in response to her opinions, which have been widely condemned as “transphobic”.

Rowling’s views stem from a criticism of gender ideology and, in her own words, “women’s sex-based rights”.

McEwan, speaking at the Cheltenham Literature Festival on Saturday (8 October), said: “The culture seems to have forgotten how to disagree, often threatening death against figures like JK Rowling, on issues about which they could be having discussions.”

He continued: “They have got to be worked out, yes, but are hardly worth a death threat.”

Rowling recently found herself involved in a high-profile argument with author Joanne Harris after she claimed the author didn’t support her when she received death threats over her views on transgender people.

The backlash against the author appeared to begin in June 2020 after the author called out an article’s use of the phrase “people who menstruate”. She wrote; “I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”

While there was a contingent of Twitter users who supported Rowling for her tweet, there were plenty – including numerous celebrities – who criticised her comment as “anti-trans” and “transphobic”, arguing that transgender, non-binary and non-gender conforming people can also menstruate.

Rowling later added that she supports transgender rights and took issue with being labelled a “TERF”, a trans-exclusionary radical feminist.

In an essay, the author addressed the backlash and revealed her experiences of surviving alleged domestic abuse and sexual assault.

However, the essay sparked further criticism and many actors from the Harry Potter franchise, including Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, have since voiced their support for trans women.

The charity Mermaids then wrote an open letter addressed to Rowling outlining why the organisation believes the author’s comments are damaging to the trans community.

“We would like to begin by offering our solidarity with you as a survivor of domestic and sexual abuse,” the letter began, before going on to address Rowling’s views.

“To address the core of your point, trans rights do not come at the expense of women’s rights,” it read.