London – JK Rowling has said she spoke out about transgender issues in part due to her personal experience of domestic abuse and sexual assault.
The Harry Potter author addressed criticism of her response to an article that described “people who menstruate”.
In a lengthy blog, she wrote her interest in trans issues stemmed from being a survivor of abuse and having concerns around single-sex spaces.
Actor Daniel Radcliffe was among those critical of Ms Rowling’s comments.
In the blog post published on Wednesday, Rowling, 54, detailed what she said were the five reasons why she felt the need to talk about the issue.
These included her interest in “both education and safeguarding” and “freedom of speech”.
Explaining her final reason, she wrote: “I’ve been in the public eye now for over 20 years and have never talked publicly about being a domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor.
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“This isn’t because I’m ashamed those things happened to me, but because they’re traumatic to revisit and remember.
“I also feel protective of my daughter from my first marriage. I didn’t want to claim sole ownership of a story that belongs to her, too.
“However, a short while ago, I asked her how she’d feel if I were publicly honest about that part of my life and she encouraged me to go ahead.
“I’m mentioning these things now not in an attempt to garner sympathy, but out of solidarity with the huge numbers of women who have histories like mine, who’ve been slurred as bigots for having concerns around single-sex spaces.”
Radcliffe, the star of the Harry Potter film series, and Eddie Redmayne, who leads the cast of the Fantastic Beasts movies, have both criticised Rowling for her comments about transgender issues.
Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger in the Potter franchise, said: “Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are.” (BBC)
