Rowling brands trans football manager a ‘straight white bloke’
JK ROWLING has branded a transgender football manager a “straight, white, middle-aged bloke” as she angrily denied bullying.
The Harry Potter author mocked Lucy Clark, who has been appointed manager of Sutton United’s women’s football team in south London.
LGBT charity Pride posted on social media a photograph of Clark, who was previously a referee, holding a pink whistle and a red card.
The post said: “Lucy Clark, the world’s first openly transgender referee, has made history by becoming the first trans manager in the top 5 divisions of English women’s football. The former referee has taken over at Sutton United. FABULOUS!”
Rowling wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “When I was young all the football managers were straight, white, middle-aged blokes, so it’s fantastic to see how much things have changed.” Responding to a report that she had “compared” Clark to a “straight, white, middle-aged bloke”, she doubled down by stating: “I didn’t compare him to one. He IS one.”
Responding to criticism of her remarks, Rowling wrote: “Calling a man a man is not ‘bullying’ or ‘punching down’. Crossdressing straight men are currently one of the most pandered-to demographics in existence, and women are under no obligation to applaud the people caricaturing us.”
Responding to another accusation of bullying, Rowling said: “You’re right. No demographic is more vulnerable and oppressed than large, tattooed crossdressers who get plum jobs in women’s sport.”
Clark, 51, wrote on X: “Another day of hate-fuelled transphobia against me… but hey guess what I am living my best life. Wake up everyday with my beautiful family around me.
“Everyday I laugh and have things to look forward to. Who’s winning at life … the one who’s happy and smiling or those hating?”
Among those criticising Rowling’s response online was Caroline Litman, who said: “Lucy is a real person with a family, and a life to live ... Your decision to pile on her is simply cruel.”