JK Rowling has hit out at a trans-inclusive women’s charity after she posed for it Sadiq Khan For the Suffragette Line presentation.
The image sparked outrage yesterday as the Harry Potter author accused the Fawcett Society of “accommodating the political elite” while women’s rights campaigners stand in the High Court “fighting for real women”.
The Fawcett Society – named after the famous Suffragette Millicent Fawcett – is a charity that says it is dedicated to defending women’s rights.
But it also says it’s trans-inclusive, which some feminists find incompatible in areas like women-only spaces like restrooms.
A tweet celebrating the train line’s tribute has now been deleted after it was heavily criticized and called “performative feminism”.
It comes after the Fawcett Society came under fire for its “shocking” response to the EHRC’s guide to separate and same-sex providers, in which it “endorsed” the idea that separate spaces – such as bathrooms – were only allowed under certain criteria.
To add fuel to the fire, the Mayor of London – who has also been criticized by feminists for his stance on trans rights – was also pictured standing with a member of the Fawcett Society.
JK Rowling has drawn criticism from the Fawcett Society among women’s rights activists who condemned the charity after a tweet in which a member of the society stood with Sadiq Khan at the unveiling of the Suffragette Line. The Fawcett Society’s tweet has since been deleted
Reacting to the photo, Rowling wrote on X: “While @fawcettsociety has been pleasing the political elite in photo ops, @ForWomenScot has been in court fighting for real women.”
X users flocked to the site to share their opinions on the controversial post – many agreed with the author and criticized the Fawcett Society.
One person wrote: “Naming train lines is performative feminism and does nothing for women.”
The Harry Potter author accuses the organization of “coddling with the elite,” while women’s rights advocates stand in the Supreme Court “fighting for real women.” Pictured: Women’s rights activists outside the court on Tuesday
Another added: “Meanwhile @ForWomenScott is here in court doing some real work,” to which someone replied: “So true – actions speak louder than words and selfies!”
“Empty virtue signaling. Do you even know what’s going on at the Supreme Court this week?
“Women are literally fighting for our right to exist in the law while you’re in the shit,” remarked a fourth.
A fifth opined: “They don’t know what suffrage means. It’s sad that people don’t know the history of the women’s movement at all.
And the sixth said: “working class suffrage” – what do these many know about it? Virtue signaling b******.’
Others took aim at Sadiq Kahn and questioned his commitment to the cause.
One person commented: “He doesn’t even know what a woman is,” while another added: “That dude doesn’t give 2 shits about women suffering.”
X users flocked to the site to share their opinions on the controversial post – many agreed with the author and criticized the Fawcett Society
A third said, “What have you done to keep men out of women’s refuges and sports? Better to honor the living than those who are gone.
In the past, the mayor has found himself in hot water over claims that his administration had fired a supporter of the Women’s Party after she raised concerns about allowing trans women into a rape shelter.
For Women Scotland, the charity mentioned in Rowling’s tweet, has brought a landmark case to the Supreme Court this week in which she is challenging the Scottish government over the definition of a woman.
The group’s supporters argue that trans women should not be able to fill roles meant for biological women under legislation aimed at ensuring equality between men and women on corporate boards.
In the case – brought by anti-gender activists – five judges will consider the question: ‘Is a person with a full gender recognition certificate who identifies as female a ‘woman’ within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010?’
The Scottish Government, which disputes this, insists that the term woman includes “a person who has been granted a full GRC in the female sex”.
Supporters of For Women Scotland were seen standing outside the court holding a large sign which read: “We know what women are”.
They were successful in their campaign and have persuaded ministers to change the law so that a full gender recognition certificate could be considered a declaration of someone’s gender “for all purposes”.
Sadiq Khan’s press office declined to comment.
The Fawcett Society has been approached for comment.