In 2020, supporters of J.K. Rowling published an open letter in the Sunday Times in response to criticism of the author.
Rowling’s book Troubled Blood included a male serial killer who dresses as a woman in order to lure his female victims, a common transphobic trope.
Signatories include many key figures in anti-transgender extremism.
Signatories
- Alexander Armstrong, actor
- Trezza Azzopardi, writer
- Frances Barber, actress
- Jonny Best, musician
- Julie Bindel, journalist
- Craig Brown, writer
- Grace Carley, producer
- Maureen Chadwick, writer
- Malcolm Clark, television producer-director
- Nick Cohen, journalist
- Amanda Craig, writer
- Andrew Davies, writer
- Jess de Wahls, textile artist
- Charlotte Delaney, writer
- James Dreyfus, actor
- Simon Edge, novelist
- Simon Fanshawe, writer
- Nehanda Ferguson, musician
- Aminatta Forna, writer
- Eileen Gallagher, writer & producer
- Magi Gibson, writer
- Kath Gotts, composer & lyricist
- Manick Govinda, arts consultant
- Jane Harris, writer
- Debbie Hayton, journalist
- Philip Hensher, writer
- Justin Hill, writer
- Susan Hill, writer
- Tatsuya Ishida, cartoonist
- Griff Rhys Jones, actor
- Russell Celyn Jones, writer
- Sam Leith, journalist
- Graham Linehan, writer
- Mo Lovatt, writer
- Lisa Marchiano, author
- Arthur Matthews, writer
- Ian McEwan, author
- Ann McManus, writer
- Ben Miller, actor
- Jimmy Mulville, producer
- Stella O’Malley, author
- Mez Packer, writer
- Nina Paley, animator
- Gillian Philip, author
- Rachel Rooney, author
- Lizzie Roper, actress
- Birdy Rose, artist
- Abigail Shrier, journalist
- Lionel Shriver, author
- Joan Smith, writer
- Amanda Smyth, writer
- Tom Stoppard, playwright
- Jane Thynne, writer
- Frances Welch, writer
- Francis Wheen, writer
- Victoria Whitworth, writer
- Shirley Wishart, musician
- Zuby, musician and author
References
O’Connor, Roisin (September 28, 2020). JK Rowling: Ian McEwan and Graham Linehan among literary figures to support author amid transphobia row. The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/jk-rowling-transgender-views-support-ian-mcewan-sunday-times-b666932.html
Diamond, Jonny (September 30, 2020) Our terrible year of open letters continues: JK Rowling edition. LitHub https://lithub.com/our-terrible-year-of-open-letters-continues-jk-rowling-edition/