JK Rowling Is Feuding With Another Popular Writer
JK Rowling has gotten into yet another public feud, this time with another popular British author and it's not pretty.
In recent years, JK Rowling has become as known for her publicly expressed beliefs regarding transgender people as she is for the creation of one of the most popular fantasy franchises of all time. She regularly engages in online feuds with other public figures (as well as private individuals), and her newest is with another popular writer, Joanne Harris. As reported by Variety, this particular feud between JK Rowling and Joanne Harris began after the recent and tragic attack on the life of novelist Salman Rushdie.
JK Rowling recently Tweeted in support of Salman Rushdie, who was attacked at a scheduled lecture at New York’s Chautauqua Institution and stabbed several times. He remains in critical condition and will likely lose an eye, but reportedly is improving. JK Rowling’s Tweet was responded to by another Twitter user in what was interpreted as a death threat toward the Harry Potter author. Twitter moderators quickly removed the threat and began an investigation into it. At some point, Joanne Harris (who is head of the U.K. Society of Authors) expressed support for JK Rowling and “and to everyone in a similar position.” It can safely be assumed that is to mean anyone who has been threatened with death or physical harm via social media.
Shortly after that, JK Rowling told The Times that she had “received no communication whatsoever from [Joanne] Harris expressing sympathy for the death and rape threats I’ve received.” She went on to say that Joanne Harris has “consistently failed” to comment on tactics Rowling claimed were used to silence women who disagree with her personal stance on “gender identity ideology.” Presumably, JK Rowling felt that Harris’ support in the recent Tweeted threat against her was an affront because she did not consistently decry other threats or criticism that was lobbed against her.
In response to JK Rowling, Joanne Harris Tweeted the following:
While Joanne Harris is not as globally well known as JK Rowling, few individuals in the world are. Joanne Harris is best known for her 1999 novel Chocolat, which was adapted into a movie of the same name in 2000, starring Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche. She is a prolific writer and frequently awarded, but few writers aside from Stephen King and James Patterson regularly have the same book sales and attention as JK Rowling.
The Harry Potter series of films have long since transformed into the ongoing Fantastic Beasts series of films, all of which have been written or co-written by JK Rowling. The Fantastic Beasts franchise has not experienced the same critical praise or box office success as the previous series, but still apparently will go on for a full five films (if all goes to plan). It also has been met with a number of difficulties, with some fans calling for a boycott due to the involvement of JK Rowling, some due to the involvement of troubled star Ezra Miller, and others due to the (former) involvement of also troubled star Johnny Depp.
