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J.K. Rowling Refers to Trans Women as "Crossdressing Straight Men"
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J.K. Rowling Refers to Trans Women as "Crossdressing Straight Men"

This isn't exactly a surprise.

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Parker Molloy
May 15, 2024
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The Present Age
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J.K. Rowling Refers to Trans Women as "Crossdressing Straight Men"
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Hey all, Parker here.

Just a few days ago, a British LGBTQ Pride charity celebrated a landmark moment in sports: Lucy Clark's appointment as the first transgender manager in the top five divisions of English women's football. This should've been just another feel-good tweet about a career achievement. Instead, it became a lightning rod for unwarranted backlash, all because Lucy Clark is trans.

Sutton United Women's manager Lucy Clark (centre) during the warm up before the LSE Regional Premier match at St Paul's Sports Ground, London. Picture date: Sunday February 11, 2024. (Photo by Rhianna Chadwick/PA Images via Getty Images)

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The tweet itself was simple, a recognition of Lucy's achievement in a role that both men and women have held. But, of course, the mere acknowledgment of her transgender identity set off alarms for those who seem to think recognition is a zero-sum game. Among the outraged was J.K. Rowling, who took to X, formerly Twitter, to sarcastically lament the days when all football managers were "straight, white middle-aged blokes." Her tweet attracted significant attention, leading to an article in the conservative Daily Mail, which noted that some had accused Rowling of cruelty for her comments.

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