{"id":200557,"date":"2025-06-20T18:40:11","date_gmt":"2025-06-20T18:40:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/200557\/"},"modified":"2025-06-20T18:40:11","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T18:40:11","slug":"gender-critical-activist-tears-into-stephen-fry-after-brutal-jk-rowling-swipe-not-radical-just-reality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/200557\/","title":{"rendered":"Gender critical activist tears into Stephen Fry after brutal JK Rowling swipe: &#8216;Not radical, just reality&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"\" style=\"cursor: default;\" title=\"\">Maya Forstater, executive director of Sex Matters, has launched a fierce defence of JK Rowling after Stephen Fry branded the Harry Potter author &#8220;radicalised&#8221; and &#8220;a lost cause&#8221; over her views on transgender issues. <\/p>\n<p style=\"cursor: default;\" title=\"\">Speaking to GB News, Forstater dismissed Fry&#8217;s characterisation as &#8220;utter nonsense&#8221;, insisting that &#8220;the idea that men are men and women are women is not a radical view&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p style=\"cursor: default;\" title=\"\"> Forstater told The People&#8217;s Channel: &#8220;What she&#8217;s done is stand up for women&#8217;s rights.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"cursor: default;\" title=\"\">GB News host Tom Harwood said: &#8220;Has there not been a progression, at the very least, in how J.K. Rowling has approached this issue? <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"b76c7\" data-rm-shortcode-id=\"faee767d4c4b6746883544184f0aca54\" data-rm-shortcode-name=\"rebelmouse-image\" class=\"rm-shortcode rm-lazyloadable-image \" lazy-loadable=\"true\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%201280%20720'%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" data-runner-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/maya-forstater.png\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" alt=\"Maya Forstater,\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Maya Forstater defended the Harry Potter author <\/p>\n<p>GB NEWS <\/p>\n<p style=\"cursor: default;\" title=\"\">&#8220;Back in 2020, she tweeted, &#8216;I respect every trans person&#8217;s right to live in any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them&#8217;.<\/p>\n<p style=\"cursor: pointer; background-image: paint(speechifyPlaybackHighlighter), paint(speechifyClickToPlay); --speechifyClickToPlayElemColor: rgb(90, 88, 88); --speechifyClickToPlayHighlightSentenceInfo: 0,3.20001220703125,878.0167236328125,17.6,0,25.600006103515625,186.7333526611328,17.6; --speechifyClickToPlaySentenceHighlightColorDark: rgba(204, 160, 80, 0.7); --speechifyClickToPlaySentenceHighlightColorLight: rgba(255, 200, 100, 0.7); --speechifyClickToPlayWordHighlightColorDark: rgba(204, 160, 80, 0.7); --speechifyClickToPlayWordHighlightColorLight: rgba(255, 200, 100, 0.7); --speechifyClickToPlayElemMatrix: 1,1,0,0,0,0; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterElemColor: rgb(90, 88, 88); --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterHighlightSentenceInfo: 0,3.20001220703125,878.0167236328125,17.6,0,25.600006103515625,186.7333526611328,17.6; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterSentenceHighlightColorDark: #374b64; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterSentenceHighlightColorLight: #E6E8FF; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterWordHighlightColorDark: #3a72e0; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterWordHighlightColorLight: #B4BBFE; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterElemMatrix: 1,1,0,0,0,0; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterHighlightWordInfo: 371.4833488464355,3.20001220703125,62.800018310546875,17.6; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterHighlightWordClipInfo: 371.4833488464355,3.20001220703125,62.800018310546875,17.6;\" title=\"\" data-speechifyclicktoplay-highlight=\"true\" data-speechifyclicktoplay-no-background=\"true\" data-speechifyplaybackhighlighter-highlight=\"true\">&#8220;And yet, this year, we&#8217;ve seen J.K. Rowling refuse to use the pronouns that trans people would like others to use, quote-tweeting various trans women and calling them men. <\/p>\n<p><strong>LATEST DEVELOPMENTS <\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"\">&#8220;At the very least, her tone seems to have shifted considerably over the last five years.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"cursor: default;\" title=\"\">The activist responded: &#8220;What you&#8217;re talking about is whether she must use the pronouns they prefer. Those are two different things. <\/p>\n<p style=\"cursor: default;\" title=\"\">&#8220;If someone wants to call themselves something, fine, but as J.K. Rowling tweeted in 2019, after my case, &#8220;Call yourself what you like, but that doesn&#8217;t mean others have to call you that.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p title=\"\">&#8220;People can use the words that make sense to them.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"cursor: pointer; background-image: paint(speechifyPlaybackHighlighter), paint(speechifyClickToPlay); --speechifyClickToPlayElemColor: rgb(90, 88, 88); --speechifyClickToPlayHighlightSentenceInfo: 0,3.199981689453125,640.3833618164062,17.6,634.3833427429199,3.199981689453125,116.60003662109375,17.6,746.9833793640137,3.199981689453125,130.58331298828125,17.6,0,25.5999755859375,411.0500183105469,17.6; --speechifyClickToPlaySentenceHighlightColorDark: rgba(204, 160, 80, 0.7); --speechifyClickToPlaySentenceHighlightColorLight: rgba(255, 200, 100, 0.7); --speechifyClickToPlayWordHighlightColorDark: rgba(204, 160, 80, 0.7); --speechifyClickToPlayWordHighlightColorLight: rgba(255, 200, 100, 0.7); --speechifyClickToPlayElemMatrix: 1,1,0,0,0,0; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterElemColor: rgb(90, 88, 88); --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterHighlightSentenceInfo: 0,3.199981689453125,640.3833618164062,17.6,634.3833427429199,3.199981689453125,116.60003662109375,17.6,746.9833793640137,3.199981689453125,130.58331298828125,17.6,0,25.5999755859375,411.0500183105469,17.6; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterSentenceHighlightColorDark: #374b64; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterSentenceHighlightColorLight: #E6E8FF; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterWordHighlightColorDark: #3a72e0; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterWordHighlightColorLight: #B4BBFE; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterElemMatrix: 1,1,0,0,0,0; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterHighlightWordInfo: 34.06666946404733,25.5999755859375,54.116661071409624,17.6; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterHighlightWordClipInfo: 34.06666946404733,25.5999755859375,54.116661071409624,17.6;\" title=\"\" data-speechifyclicktoplay-highlight=\"true\" data-speechifyclicktoplay-no-background=\"true\" data-speechifyplaybackhighlighter-highlight=\"true\">Stephen Fry has condemned his former friend JK Rowling as &#8220;radicalised&#8221; and &#8220;a lost cause&#8221; in a recent podcast interview, marking a dramatic shift from his previously neutral stance on the transgender debate.<\/p>\n<p>                WATCH: \u2018Hang on!\u2019 Tom Harwood and Emily Carver lock horns in tense GB News row as JK Rowling comment sparks fury: \u2018Yada, yada, yada\u2019<\/p>\n<p style=\"cursor: default;\" title=\"\">The comedian and Harry Potter audiobook narrator told The Show People podcast that Rowling had been &#8220;radicalised by TERFs&#8221; as well as by &#8220;the vitriol that is thrown at her.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"cursor: default;\" title=\"\">&#8220;She seems to be a lost cause for us,&#8221; Fry said during the interview, adding that the backlash against her &#8220;is unhelpful and only hardens her and will only continue to harden her.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"cursor: pointer; background-image: paint(speechifyPlaybackHighlighter), paint(speechifyClickToPlay); --speechifyClickToPlayElemColor: rgb(90, 88, 88); --speechifyClickToPlayHighlightSentenceInfo: 0,3.20001220703125,26.516666412353516,17.6,20.516666412353516,3.20001220703125,89.43334197998047,17.6,105.95000839233398,3.20001220703125,587.183349609375,17.6; --speechifyClickToPlaySentenceHighlightColorDark: rgba(204, 160, 80, 0.7); --speechifyClickToPlaySentenceHighlightColorLight: rgba(255, 200, 100, 0.7); --speechifyClickToPlayWordHighlightColorDark: rgba(204, 160, 80, 0.7); --speechifyClickToPlayWordHighlightColorLight: rgba(255, 200, 100, 0.7); --speechifyClickToPlayElemMatrix: 1,1,0,0,0,0; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterElemColor: rgb(90, 88, 88); --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterHighlightSentenceInfo: 0,3.20001220703125,26.516666412353516,17.6,20.516666412353516,3.20001220703125,89.43334197998047,17.6,105.95000839233398,3.20001220703125,587.183349609375,17.6; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterSentenceHighlightColorDark: #374b64; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterSentenceHighlightColorLight: #E6E8FF; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterWordHighlightColorDark: #3a72e0; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterWordHighlightColorLight: #B4BBFE; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterElemMatrix: 1,1,0,0,0,0; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterHighlightWordInfo: 655.6166801443211,3.20001220703125,41.51666259936741,17.6; --speechifyPlaybackHighlighterHighlightWordClipInfo: 655.6166801443211,3.20001220703125,41.51666259936741,17.6;\" title=\"\" data-speechifyclicktoplay-highlight=\"true\" data-speechifyclicktoplay-no-background=\"true\" data-speechifyplaybackhighlighter-highlight=\"true\">Fry claimed he is &#8220;really angry&#8221; about Rowling&#8217;s stance, stating he &#8220;disagrees profoundly with her on this subject&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p style=\"cursor: default;\" title=\"\">&#8220;She started to make these peculiar statements and had very strong difficult views. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"d2104\" data-rm-shortcode-id=\"4c407d198fb2e764232f95e53273a49e\" data-rm-shortcode-name=\"rebelmouse-image\" class=\"rm-shortcode rm-lazyloadable-image \" lazy-loadable=\"true\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%203000%202132'%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" data-runner-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/stephen-fry.jpg\" width=\"3000\" height=\"2132\" alt=\"Stephen Fry\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Stephen Fry blasted J.K Rowling as &#8220;entirely destructive&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>PA<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;She seemed to wake up or kick a hornet&#8217;s nest of transphobia which has been entirely destructive,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>The QI presenter particularly criticised Rowling for not disavowing &#8220;some of the more revolting and truly horrible, violently destructive things that people say.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;She says things that are inflammatory and contemptuous, mocking, and add to a terribly distressing time for trans people,&#8221; Fry added.<\/p>\n<p>He noted that until recently, he&#8217;d found Rowling &#8220;charming, funny and interesting&#8221;, but claimed &#8220;this thing happened and it completely altered the way she talks and engages with the world now.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Maya Forstater, executive director of Sex Matters, has launched a fierce defence of JK Rowling after Stephen Fry&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":200558,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3940],"tags":[4080,4781,77,18794,12,512,16,1259,15,6225],"class_list":{"0":"post-200557","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-celebrities","8":"tag-celebrities","9":"tag-celebrity","10":"tag-entertainment","11":"tag-lgbt","12":"tag-news","13":"tag-sgg","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-uk-news","16":"tag-united-kingdom","17":"tag-video-news"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114717158619567327","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200557","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=200557"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200557\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/200558"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=200557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=200557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=200557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}