JK Rowling Gets Into Spat With YouTuber Over International Women's Day Tweet

On Tuesday (8 March), the UK’s Shadow Minister for Equalities, Anneliese Dodds, appeared on BBC’s Woman’s Hour radio programme to discuss a new bill in Scotland. 

In essence, the Gender Recognition Reform Bill would make it easier for transgender people to change their legal gender. 

But it appears Rowling took issue with Dodds' comment about the ‘different definitions’ of what makes a woman and she took to Twitter to say: 'Someone please send the Shadow Minister for Equalities a dictionary and a backbone. #HappyInternationalWomensDay'.

'Apparently, under a Labour government, today will become We Who Must Not Be Named Day,' she added. 

In a further tweet addressing Dodds, she wrote: 'This morning you told the British public you literally can’t define what a woman is. What’s the plan, lift up random objects until you find one that rattles?'

Popular left-wing YouTuber, Ian ‘Vaush’ Kochinski, then proceeded to call Rowling out on Twitter. 

'All JK Rowling had to do was shut the f*** up and she could have been almost uncritically beloved for like a century,' Vaush wrote. 

'Women be quieter and start apologizing challenge.'

In a bid to defend herself, Rowling replied 24 hours later. She wrote: 'What you and your ilk fail to appreciate is how tediously familiar I find your tactics. 

'I had a violent ex-husband who used to tell me life would be great if only I'd comply, but you're making the same mistake he did. 

'Women like me can't be bullied out of resistance.'

Vaush replied: 'Listen Joanne you don't get to play the victim card when you're the advocate for taking away women's rights here. 

'Trans women are raped and killed in men's facilities and you want to keep them there because of your trauma. 

'Quit making your feelings other people's oppression.'

And the spat didn’t end there, as Vaush then accused the Harry Potter author of being a ‘crybully’ - a person who plays the victim while harassing others. 

The YouTuber tweeted: 'Complaining about how victimized you are when you're a billionaire being mocked for opposing civil rights is the height of crybullying.'

She has previously denied any claims of transphobia, stating: 'I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives.