Author JK Rowling is most famous for her series Harry Potter. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak openly backed author JK Rowling in a dispute about Scotland’s recently enacted hate crime laws.
The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act, which officially took effect this Monday, introduces the crime of “stirring up hatred” on grounds of various protected characteristics punishable by up to seven years in prison. The protected characteristics include age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity, or being intersex.
The author of the Harry Potter series, who resides in Edinburgh, openly criticized the new law, stating it would impact freedom of speech and did not provide protection for women. As a critic of transgender activism, Rowling stated that the outlawing of the description of biological sex would jeopardize “freedom of speech and belief.”
🎉🌼🌸April Fools! 🌸🌼🎉
Only kidding. Obviously, the people mentioned in the above tweets aren't women at all, but men, every last one of them.
In passing the Scottish Hate Crime Act, Scottish lawmakers seem to have placed higher value on the feelings of men performing their…
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 1, 2024
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Sunak defended Rowling and stated: “People should not be penalized for stating simple facts on biology. We uphold free speech in this country, and Conservatives will always safeguard it.”
While the act aims to enhance protections against hate crimes, critics like Rowling argue it might not adequately shield women from hatred. In response, the Scottish government asserts that it intends to specifically address this in a forthcoming misogyny law.
