Jonathan Ross’ daughter Honey eviscerates JK Rowling for tone deaf tirade against trans people amid Black Lives Matter protests

Jun 08 2020
Written by Josh Milton

Honey Ross (L) and Jonathan Ross. (Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

Jonathan Ross’ daughter, Honey Ross, shared a pair of stringing rebukes against JK Rowling’s recent Twitter comments on trans people.

Honey Ross, a screenwriter and body image activist, shared two posts on her Instagram story Sunday night (June 7) that dealt a swift broadside against the Harry Potter author’s explosive remarks. But her stance on the debate engulfing Rowling might chafe against her father.

On the same night, Jonathan Ross took to Twitter to defend Rowling from accusations of “transphobia”. He reasoned that Rowling – whose words suggested trans people are not constantly being “discriminated” against for being trans — was in the “right”.

“For those accusing her of transphobia,” he continued, “please read what she wrote. She clearly is not.”

In a contrasting scene, Honey Ross uploaded two Instagram posts that reacted unfavourably to Rowling’s tweets.

Jonathan Ross’ daughter Honey shares tweets and images critical of JK Rowling.

One was a screen capture of a tweet by i-D junior editor Róisín Laingan that read: “JK Rowling really look at a world protesting en masse against racism and police brutality and said: ‘You know what, this is the perfect time to use my platform to remind everyone I hate trans people?'”

(Screen capture via Instagram)

Honey also posted on Instagram an edited version of the front cover of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, retitled: “Harry Potter and the Audacity of This B***h.”

(Screen capture via Instagram)

She later amplified Munroe Bergdorf’s takedown against Rowling, who castigated the author as a “wealthy white woman tweeting transphobia from [her] mansion”.

View this post on Instagram

Transphobia = White Supremacy. Whilst we are protesting, speaking out against and deconstructing racist systems within society. We cannot forget that racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia are all symptoms of white supremacist colonial ideologies. Either it's liberation for all or it's liberation for none. Nobody gets to tear another marginalised person down and call it feminism. Stop this nonsense #jkrowling. You're letting down so many of whom you inspired as children. Your ignorance is a grave shame and wildly unnecessary when trans people are fighting for your rights also. To choose Pride month to come out with yet more transphobia, in a time when people are coming together to call out bigotry whilst also navigating a global virus outbreak and impending recession, is an indicator of how you only care about liberation for people like YOU… READ THE ROOM! #TERF #translivesmatter #nohate

A post shared by ＭＵＮＲＯＥ (@munroebergdorf) on Jun 7, 2020 at 3:03am PDT

These were all a polar opposite reaction to that of Jonathan Ross, whose efforts to diffuse backlash brewing against Rowling in itself became a lightning rod for criticism from the LGBT+ community.

I just ate too many brownies. Again. Oh, and also. @jk_rowling is both right and magnificent.For those accusing her of transphobia, please read what she wrote. She clearly is not.— Jonathan Ross (@wossy) June 7, 2020

So, what did JK Rowling actually tweet about trans people?

Amid a series of cascading tinderbox issues, from the coronavirus pandemic to the Black Lives Matter demonstrations, decided Saturday (June 6) was the perfect time to tweet about trans folk — less than a week into LGBT+ Pride Month.

The author took to Twitter where she focused a thread on her views of sex and gender in relation to trans people that sparked fury online.

If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020

I respect every trans person’s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them. I’d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans. At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe it’s hateful to say so.

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020

Rowling’s thread was first seeded earlier that evening, when she shared an article in Devex, the media platform for the global development community, with the headline: “Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate.”

‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?

Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate https://t.co/cVpZxG7gaA— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020

“‘People who menstruate,'” she responded. “I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”

In the avalanche of tweets that followed, she sought to reassure her 14.5 million followers that she “knows and loves trans people” and claimed that the idea she hates trans people is “nonsense”.

“I respect every trans person’s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them,” she wrote.

“I’d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans.”