Judy Blume Calls ‘Bulls—‘ on Sunday Times Version of Her View of Trans Community
Sunday Times on Sunday, saying the British paper took out of context her quotes saying she was “behind J.K. Rowling 100 percent,” sparking a backlash from the trans community. “I wholly support the trans community,” Blume, 85, tweeted, but added: “I can empathize with a writer – or person – who has been harassed online.” Blume, 85, was interviewed by the Sunday Times ahead of Lionsgate’s release of the film adaptation of her famed young adult novel “Are You There God?
It’s Me, Margaret.” During the interview, Times reporter Hadley Freeman pointed out that the protagonist of Blume’s book does not have superpowers like those in many other popular YA novels, including the Harry Potter books, which Freeman told Blume she loved. “And I love her,” Blume said about Rowling. “I am behind her 100 per cent as I watch from afar.”Freeman went on to write that Blume was “referring to the abuse Rowling has received for speaking up in defence of women’s sex-based rights, and given that Blume has faced repeated attacks since the 1980s, for her books’ descriptions of adolescent sexuality and puberty, she knows what it’s like to be pilloried as an author.”In a statement posted on Twitter, Blume clarified that her support for Rowling was not out of any sort of lack of support for the trans community.
Per my recent interview with Variety: pic.twitter.com/ncLSyYqfql“I wholly support the trans community,” Blume wrote. “My quote, which was taken out of context, was that I can empathize with a writer — or person — who has been harassed online.”“I stand with the trans community and vehemently disagree with anyone who does not fully support equality and acceptance for LGBTQIA+ people.
