How do you deal with authors with problematic, harmful views?

Melina the reader · Post by **Melina the reader** » 03 Oct 2020, 12:45

MrsTurner2013 wrote: ↑27 Sep 2020, 08:14 Honestly, if there is an author that I don't agree with, I just ignore what they have to say. They have the right to express what they think. I have a right to express what I think. The only time I ever have problems with people expressing their thoughts is if they come back and tell me I can't express my own opinions or tell me my opinion is "wrong". Just because someone's opinion differs from your own doesn't mean the expression of that opinion should be hindered. If someone's opinion is harming other people, I will express that concern but I have no control over what they will do. I can tell people there is a better, less harmful idea that is available. In the end, people will believe what they believe and no matter how I feel about it gives me the right to suppress someone else's expression of thought.

That is a very balanced view, I agree!
I see A LOT of shaming and censoring of opinions around at the moment and I really don't like it. It might be an unpopular belief, but I am going to express it anyway: I don't think J.K.Rowling is being transphobic and I am almost certain she never had such intentions. Of course I am not trans so I would never take the right to decide what people should be offended by or not, but I do have friends in the LGBT community. I just don't think she expressed anything "dangerous" or "harmful". And I think the reactions she is getting are way out of order. If you disagree with someone then maybe you should stop following them on Twitter instead of writing death threats and insulting comments, discrediting their work. Fact is she did write Harry Potter, a book that has touched and inspired millions, and you can't ever take that away from her.

And personally I don't really like referring to views as "problematic" or "harmful" because it is a very thin line between calling views "problematic" and censoring them. Everybody, no matter what their view is, has the right to express it. And I just don't think that going around and shaming people for their views contributes to a peaceful, free environment, which I suppose we'd all like to live in.

LS Daniyal · Post by **LS Daniyal** » 05 Oct 2020, 01:08

Depends on my mood really. While I can ignore them because you can quite honestly do without them considering the number of amazing authors world wide, I can also still give them a read to get their perspective on life.

Gravy · Post by **Gravy** » 30 Mar 2021, 21:18

Melina the reader wrote: ↑03 Oct 2020, 12:45
MrsTurner2013 wrote: ↑27 Sep 2020, 08:14 Honestly, if there is an author that I don't agree with, I just ignore what they have to say. They have the right to express what they think. I have a right to express what I think. The only time I ever have problems with people expressing their thoughts is if they come back and tell me I can't express my own opinions or tell me my opinion is "wrong". Just because someone's opinion differs from your own doesn't mean the expression of that opinion should be hindered. If someone's opinion is harming other people, I will express that concern but I have no control over what they will do. I can tell people there is a better, less harmful idea that is available. In the end, people will believe what they believe and no matter how I feel about it gives me the right to suppress someone else's expression of thought.
That is a very balanced view, I agree!
I see A LOT of shaming and censoring of opinions around at the moment and I really don't like it. It might be an unpopular belief, but I am going to express it anyway: I don't think J.K.Rowling is being transphobic and I am almost certain she never had such intentions. Of course I am not trans so I would never take the right to decide what people should be offended by or not, but I do have friends in the LGBT community. I just don't think she expressed anything "dangerous" or "harmful". And I think the reactions she is getting are way out of order. If you disagree with someone then maybe you should stop following them on Twitter instead of writing death threats and insulting comments, discrediting their work. Fact is she did write Harry Potter, a book that has touched and inspired millions, and you can't ever take that away from her.

And personally I don't really like referring to views as "problematic" or "harmful" because it is a very thin line between calling views "problematic" and censoring them. Everybody, no matter what their view is, has the right to express it. And I just don't think that going around and shaming people for their views contributes to a peaceful, free environment, which I suppose we'd all like to live in.

I'm sorry, but she most certainly is being transphobic, and she is harming the trans community. And not just the trans community.
The sad truth is, J.K. Rowling's feminism only sees a certain type of women as worthy of womanhood.

There are countless examples of her transphobia, as well as the harm she's actively causing. (I will link to some lower in the post, but, seriously, just look at England's ridiculous record where trans people are concerned.)
No one says she has to change her opinion. Everyone has a right to their opinion, no matter how horrible it is. The trans community is only asking those who actually support their rights, which are basic human rights, to not support those who are trying to cause them harm/remove their rights.

And she wouldn't stop at trans people, no matter what she claims. A lot of transphobic people are just as homophobic.

America is literally removing trans people's right to health care. Doctors/emergency services can refuse service to trans people (all LGBT people in some cases) in some states, right now.

Trans rights are important, regardless of anything else, but they're also important because they are a stepping stone on the way to undoing all LGBT people's rights, not to mention women's rights.

I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want my daughter to have to have invasive, traumatic tests done, just because she wanted to play school sports. That doesn't sound like feminism, or women's rights to me. Yet, Ohio (and other states) are working on laws that would do just that. All because some people can't accept that affirming trans people is the right course of action. I mean, the science backs this up. It's not some kind of woowoo magical thinking. It WORKS.

As you said, you are not trans. When a minority group says that something is harmful, it's usually best to listen to them.

Please, anyone who thinks J.K. Rowling is "not really transphobic" read some of these stories and see how transphobic ideals affect trans people, as well as how they can affect everyone.

Trans women attacked in bar
Cis women attacked in bathroom after being mistaken to be trans
A breakdown of what J.K Rowling had said, and why it's transphobic
Girls may have to prove they have the right genitals to play school sports in Ohio
(A note on this one, girls could also have their chromosomes tested to prove they are not trans, but that could bar cis girls who fall into the group of girls born with a y chromosome. Lots of people are born intersex, physically and/or chromosomally and often don't even know it.)
Science (and actual record) shows that trans girls/women do not have any advantage over cis girls/women in sports.
The movement to exclude trans girls from sports

And the fact of the matter is, the focus on trans women (They'll have an unfair advantage in sports! Men will dress as women to assault women in bathrooms! Etc.) is transphobic in itself, because it completely ignores and works to erase trans men.

Trans rights are human rights. Trans women are women. Trans men are men. And non-binary people are valid.

car-mbz · Post by **car-mbz** » 31 Mar 2021, 14:52

I actually stop reading their books.

Elena Nechita · Post by **Elena Nechita** » 03 Aug 2021, 07:34

There are so many books out there that I don't find it difficult to stop reading a specific author all together. Sexism, racism, homophobia, ableism are not beliefs, they are reasons I consider an author an awful person, an awful people don't deserve my money. It's impossible to separate the art from the artist when that author still makes money off their books.

DE Navarro · Post by **DE Navarro** » 07 Aug 2021, 15:44

I want to know and understand all perspectives and what drives people to hold their perspectives, even the harmful or negative ones. I may see obvious flaws in their argument or beliefs that I can counter with my knowledge and so that then helps me deal with a person who holds the same or similar views down the road. I am a teacher and counselor at heart, so when I come across someone with harmful or negative views I try to give them information that will help to educate them to abandon their views for a better alternative. If I don't have anything to offer them, I can't help to change them. I don't view them as the enemy, or hate them for their views or I'd be holding some bad views of my own. I accept them and respect them as a fellow human being and offer them the greatest opportunity to consider alternative views and change. If they are spreading bad views and encouraging others or inciting others then I would stand against them and resist them with words of my own. But most people are not in that category, they just hold on to some beliefs that are harmful or negative. So reading works by authors who may hold harmful or negative views may help me deal with these other people and their other views more effectively.

Alissa Nesson · Post by **Alissa Nesson** » 03 Feb 2024, 11:12

If I really wanna read something from a problematic author that I don’t wanna support, I buy it used or get it from the library. I can’t suddenly not love Harry Potter but I can refuse to give the author any more of my money. I’d rather give money to someone selling it second hand.

London Baum · Post by **London Baum** » 24 Apr 2025, 21:54

I’m always SO sad when this happens! I’m terrible at staying in the loop on authors, even with the booktok world, and usually don’t find out an author is “bad” until I’ve read multiple books.

Now if I read a book and I’m on paper it comes across this writer is problematic I never read again.

I struggle with what to do because the author alone isn’t who benefits or not from a buying ban and I’m too empathetic to not think of those people.