J.K. Rowling has reignited her controversial feud with Olympian Imane Khelif amid ongoing legal battles, raising fresh debates on gender and sports. Here’s the full story.
Renowned Author
JK Rowling, the renowned author of the Harry Potter series, could have just enjoyed being the creator of one of the most beloved children’s books in history and happily enjoyed spending the billions of pounds the books, movies and video games it has spun off brought to her.
Unhinged War on Transgender Rights
However, instead, Rowling has spent the last few years waging an increasingly unhinged war on transgender rights, regularly tweeting her gender-critical views to her millions of followers on X, formerly Twitter.
Sudden Silence
However, JK Rowling had suddenly gone remarkably quiet recently, not posting since August 7. Recent legal proceedings appear to show why Rowling may have suddenly stopped posting.
Algerian Boxer Sues
Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer who became Algeria’s first female Olympic gold medallist in boxing at the Paris Games, has filed a lawsuit in France against Rowling and several celebrities for their alleged involvement in a cyber-harassment campaign against the gold-winning athlete.
Match Controversy
The debacle began following Khelif’s boxing match against Italian boxer Angela Carini, who, just 46 seconds into the first round, abandoned her match against the Algerian by launching into a tearful tirade about how she had “never felt a punch like this,” and that she had “never been hit so hard” in her life.
Viral Harassment
Footage of Carini’s tearful exit from the match quickly went viral online, and unfounded rumours began to spread, which claimed that Khelif was transgender and quickly devolved into a sustained campaign of targeted online harassment against the athlete.
Past Gender Scrutiny
This is not the first time Khelif has had her gender questioned. The International Boxing Association (IBA), later expelled by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over corruption and financial mismanagement issues, disqualified Khelif from the women’s World Championships after allegedly failing a gender eligibility test.
IOC Cleared Khelif
However, the IBA did not provide any evidence to support their findings, and the IOC later cleared her to compete, reaffirming that she was scientifically proven to be female.
Persistent Cyber-Harassment
Despite a crystal clear affirmation that Khelif was female and the IOC clearing the Algerian to compete as a woman in women’s boxing, Rowling and a hoard of other gender-critical activists, along with a legion of outright transphobes, launched a tirade of what Khelif’s attorney, Nabil Boudi would refer to in the criminal complaint filed at the Paris prosecutors office as a campaign of “aggravated cyber-harassment” against Khelif.
Damning Posts
Rowling’s posts on X regarding Khelif are damning. Posting a picture of Khelif smiling after winning the match, Rowling wrote, “The smirk of a male who knows he’s protected by a misogynist sporting establishment enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head, and whose life’s ambition he’s just shattered.”
Later Backpedaling
Later, despite previously referring to the Algerian boxer as a “male,” Rowling added, “I don’t claim Khelif is trans. My objection, and that of many others, is to male violence against women becoming an Olympic sport.”
Silence Broken
However, following the news of the criminal complaint, Rowling suddenly went silent on X. However, recently, that all changed.
Controversial Tweet
Rowling broke her silence on August 23, posting an article on X, along with a quote from the article, which appeared to support her position on the controversy surrounding Khelif.
Criticism of Makeup Post
The post, which showed a screenshot of a video shared by Khelif and Beauty Code in which the gold medal-winning athlete had had a makeover, read, “It’s important to highlight that launching a PR campaign and applying layers of thick makeup requires far more time and effort than simply making DNA test results public.”
Divisive Opinions
Rowling’s tweet was criticised, with many social media users questioning why Khelif should have to make her private medical records public. However, some also supported Rowling’s stance on the issue, reflecting the deep divisions in public opinion on transgender rights.
Not First Controversy
This latest controversy is not the first time J.K. Rowling has found herself at the centre of a heated debate over gender identity. The author has been a vocal critic of certain aspects of the transgender rights movement for several years, leading to accusations of transphobia and sparking widespread protests.
Backlash in 2020
In 2020, Rowling faced significant backlash after making comments that were perceived as dismissive of transgender women’s experiences, comments that she has since defended as a necessary part of the conversation on women’s rights.
Defence of Women’s Rights
Rowling has consistently argued that her views are motivated by a concern for the safety and rights of women rather than any animosity towards transgender individuals. However, her critics argue that her rhetoric contributes to a hostile environment for transgender people, particularly transgender women who participate in sports.
Ongoing Investigation
As the investigation into Imane Khelif’s lawsuit continues, JK Rowling has gone quiet again on social media. It remains to be seen how long the outspoken author can hold her tongue on the issue that has come to dominate so much of her public persona.
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