I am hopefully righteously angry...

"There's joy, relief and safety in conformity" ~J.K Rowling, 2020

"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." ~ 2 Timothy 4:2-5

"Dear Lord, this is a sensitive matter. It is one which will offend, which will provoke. May the words of my mouth be pleasing in your sight. May they inspire action, promote renewal in a world that so intolerably suffers offense. In a world that does not wish to hear your truths, may my words be both faithful to your word, and sensitive to the weary spirit. May I spark interest and promote godliness today. This is ask in your name, Amen."

Introduction

It's very easy to get caught up in the issues on the news or in social media or within our lives and respond inappropriately. We speak too soon, we judge too quickly. We allow ourselves to fall into the trap of being self-righteous, rather than looking to the person who is ultimately righteous - God.

In deep prayer and with much consideration, however, I believe it is important for me to express my views on a recent topic of interest in the news - J.K Rowling's latest essay on her site, which is entitled "J.K. Rowling Writes about Her Reasons for Speaking out on Sex and Gender Issues". (Please be warned, the essay contains innappropriate language for children to read).

Now, immediately, you may have rolled your eyes. And this may be for a variety of reasons:

1. You feel the issue is too commonly discussed/you are tired of it

2. You do not wish to hear a conservative rant on the issue

3. You know I am young, and think I am addressing an issue to big for my maturity

In which case, you will be happy to know, that this article I am writing is not expressly about the Transgender issue. Nor is it particularly about the LGBT+ movement. Nor is it targeting feminism. However, I will note that these issues will have to be discussed to some extent due to the nature of the article itself.

No, the reason I am writing this article is not for her article itself, but the reception of the article on social media, on popular news sites, even on television. Liberal media has trashed her name for disagreeing on something. In most simplest terms, they have damaged her reputation for having an opinion.

The Issues

In her essay, she speaks about five concerns of transgenderism in our society. As a feminist, she is largely concerned with how transgenderism might affect women in our culture. She defends her right to free speech, mostly by engaging with the global defense of women having the right to an opinion.

I suppose my greatest concern with that perspective is that it actually belittles the greater argument. Humans (male and female) can speak because they have intelligence and their own minds. From a Christian perspective, this is because the God who created intelligent beings has given us minds to decide, to chose, to think.

Whilst she argues a few things throughout the essay, the one that struck me was freedom of speech. Not long after the article was published (10 June 2020), an article came out in the Washington Post. It was entitled "J.K Rowling's transphobia shows it's time to put down the pen"

Now I want to point out the erroneous thinking within this very headline:

1) J.K Rowling is transphobic

Now the real issue lies in how they are defining transphobia. In the Merriam-Webster definition it states this "irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against transgender people". They have put two words together: the idea of transgenderism, and the idea of a phobic (or intense fear) in order to establish a meaning that covers a variety of grounds. Not only does it cover people who literally fear them - which can be a sustained argument on the grounds of what phobic means - but also those who have an aversion to or discriminate against them. Now, this is an incredibly weak argument - the redefinition of what a word might mean. But we must notice that this has been happening - the redefinition of language.

Rowling expresses her concerns of the trans community and voices the concerns of other women:

"Huge numbers of women are justifiably terrified by the trans activists; I know this because so many have got in touch with me to tell their stories. They’re afraid of doxxing, of losing their jobs or their livelihoods, and of violence."

Perhaps she could be considered transphobic in this sense. But she expresses such concerns and fears with good reason:

• "When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he’s a woman – and, as I’ve said, gender confirmation certificates may now be granted without any need for surgery or hormones – then you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside. That is the simple truth."

• "It’s been clear to me for a while that the new trans activism is having (or is likely to have, if all its demands are met) a significant impact on many of the causes I support, because it’s pushing to erode the legal definition of sex and replace it with gender."

• " I’m concerned about the huge explosion in young women wishing to transition and also about the increasing numbers who seem to be detransitioning (returning to their original sex), because they regret taking steps that have, in some cases, altered their bodies irrevocably, and taken away their fertility. Some say they decided to transition after realising they were same-sex attracted, and that transitioning was partly driven by homophobia, either in society or in their families."

As well as these, she expresses her own concern due to her own experiences and others:

"Immediately, activists who clearly believe themselves to be good, kind and progressive people swarmed back into my timeline, assuming a right to police my speech, accuse me of hatred, call me misogynistic slurs".

She even talks about a famous youtuber and lesbian who she reached out to, Magdalen Berns. Berns was obviously all for determining sexuality, but Rowling states that she "was a great believer in the importance of biological sex" and would not date a trans woman herself. From that point on "the level of social media abuse increased".

I think transphobia has been created through entirely different means. Irrational fear can definitely come about (probably from what I think would be the abnormality of the change in light of how God made them), but the common fear they are seeing is coming about because of the abuse, danger and violent acts that come about when people speak their mind. To many, the trans community (as well as the LGBT+ community) has developed a reputation of defending themselves (which is fine) but doing so violently.

Anyone who opposes them could ruin their reputation, which we are seeing for J.K Rowling. So maybe we should see her fear of the transgender issue in light of her real concern - not being able to say what she thinks.

2) J.K Rowling should "put her pen down" (a.k.a stop speaking)

Rowling says this in her essay: "It would be so much easier to tweet the approved hashtags - because of course trans rights are human rights and of course trans lives matter - scoop up the woke cookies and bask in a virtue-signalling afterglow. There's joy, relief and safety in conformity"

But she knows she must swim against the tide. In writing this very essay, she has faced incredible backlash. The Washington Post inferred she was intolerant by stating that "The tolerant are merely trying to move beyond the biological dichotomy our society has constructed over centuries — to show there’s something between Platform 9 and Platform 10 after all." They said she has chosen to take up the "dark arts of bigotry". The beloved author for so many years has been reduced because of a single essay she has written - there is no excuse, at least to the world.

In the final paragraph of the Washington post, they tell her to "allow the universe we really live in to change, too. Older people may want to declare their history books complete. They would do better to hand over their quills and give younger people the chance to add chapters of their own, while making space for those who’ve so far been excluded from the pages."

What I cannot excuse from this paragraph is how quickly they accept the LGBT+ community (one which I believe in my heart should be loved by words of truth from God's word) and just as speedily declare the older generation obsolete. If "agist" was a word, I would use it. Not only that, but the older generation, in keeping to what they would call traditional antiquated views, are no longer wise, but almost senile in nature. The younger generation - from whom we get the pride-filled Greta Thunberg - are now who we should listen to.

As a younger person, I do believe my voice is important. But I cannot compare my voice to those with experience. I might not agree with them, but I will not silence them. Older people who have opinions against our culture should be heard, not removed.

But we know that this is not the entire fact of the matter. It is so much bigger than that. It is not only older people who must be silent, but anyone who opposes the transgender doctrine. And this is what makes me angry. I, as a Christian, disagree with transgenderism, and whilst offending God does anger me, there is a greater disgrace to me: when people cannot even express their opinion. When they are told they are to be silent.

Funniest thing, this is not a silent debate. From both the liberal and conservative side its a match of "whose voice is loudest", "who can shout the other time". It has become unreasonable and immature. What is incredibly ironic (particularly from the Washington post) is that the very place where the constitution resides, a nationally read, popular, and astute newspaper, is denying its own political values established in the Bill of Rights of the US Constitution. As a newspaper, it is ironically silencing voices, where its very profession should be allowing voices to echo across time and space.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” ~ First Amendment

Even more interesting, is that the US media is taking more of a British stance in their version of free speech. The Week states that "Under Article 10 of the Human Rights Act 1998, “everyone has the right to freedom of expression” in the UK. But the law states that this freedom “may be subject to formalities, conditions, restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society”". The UK does not have as much freedom as the US, which may come from its greater faith in democratic government control. Legislation has come about for hate speech, which will predictably get more controlling.

One author, Lionel Shriver who writes for The Spectator says that they should follow the US, "because the alternative is what the UK has now, and it will only get worse: government systematically legislating not just what we say but what we may believe." However, as the US gets increasingly more liberal, the freedom to believe what you like and say what you think is becoming increasingly onerous. Much like J.K Rowling, many of us will come to the point where we will have to swim against the tide.

After expressing her concerns, and her own experience with sexual abuse, she concludes her essay by stating this "I've only mentioned my past because, like every other human being on this planet, I have a complex backstory, which shapes my fears, my interests and my opinions...All I'm asking - all I want - is for similar empathy, similar understanding, to be extended to the many millions of women whose sole crime is wanting their concerns to be heard without receiving threats and abuse."

J.K Rowling has her own "history book" - as the Washington Post called it. But her voice is not antiquated or unhelpful or discriminatory. It is inspiring many young women to speak up when the need arises. More than that, I think in publishing this essay, she encourages us to love others by giving them a voice - the most powerful thing. To take it away is to dehumanise people.

Conclusion

Perhaps this article seemed like a bit of a rant to you. But I am grateful I was able to write it. We did not need one more article where Christian condemns the homosexual lifestyle. I can do so any other time. I can speak the truth in love any time. But I cannot do so, if we are continually silenced.

J.K Rowling is hardly a conservative. I would disagree on many things with her. The essay is not without error, in my opinion. And it does seem to contradict itself in some parts. However, as with any voice, any opinion not only is it different and unique, it can be flawed as well. Even as a well established author, one who must be careful in the public eye, she can make mistakes.

But how is our culture defining mistakes? You see, it is a mistake to speak up. Media loves to disregard those who views are considered discriminatory. J.K Rowling - who wrote an incredible series of books for children, who has been a beloved author for more than two decades - must now face her demise because she expressed an opinion unworthy of the world who now betrays her.

This is a cruelty of our culture. It is so easy to take away a voice, if we crush them. We take away voices from the voiceless in abortion, in euthanasia. In our naivety, we are intolerant of the views we call intolerant. We don't even meet the standard of an immature child who blocks their ears and yells "I'm not listening" - we are the senseless murderer who puts themselves to death, by slitting the throats of the people we hate.

In denying freedom of speech, we kill every aspect of what makes us human.

Except there is one hope. As a Christian, we have a soul. And one day, the words that we will speak will be free, but always true and good. They will praise our God. They will contain no hate. They will not slander. They will always live up to the standards God has created. They will be righteous in his eyes.

In a place a perfect freedom of speech, we will not worry or contend. Our words will not drive to anger or offend. And I long for that day - and I hope that you do too!