'Bullying' West End writers REFUSED to appear alongside JK Rowling on Graham Norton's BBC show because they disagree with her 'transphobic' views
The creators of an acclaimed West End show refused to appear on BBC radio with J. K. Rowling because they consider her to be ‘transphobic’.
Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, who wrote the musical Six, cancelled an appearance on Graham Norton’s Radio 2 programme, saying they would not be on the same ‘billing’ as the Harry Potter author until she had made ‘amends with the trans community’.
It is the latest attack on Ms Rowling, 55, who has become the victim of the so-called cancel culture following comments she has made about transgender rights.
While she supports the right to transition, she has voiced fears that some trans campaigners are pursuing policies which undermine what it is to be a woman.
Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, who wrote the musical Six, cancelled an appearance on Graham Norton’s Radio 2 programme, saying they would not be on the same ‘billing’ as the Harry Potter author until she had made ‘amends with the trans community’
Ms Rowling appeared on the show as scheduled last weekend to discuss her latest children’s book The Ickabog.
However, the writers tweeted: ‘Sadly we had to withdraw as we didn’t feel comfortable being on the same billing as J. K. Rowling.
‘We strongly disagree with her transphobic views and statements and we don’t want to feature as guests on a show where she is promoting her work until she has made significant efforts to make amends with the trans community.’
Last night, feminist writer Julie Bindel defended Ms Rowling and described the two writers as ‘blue-fringed idiots who know nothing about the world’.
She added: ‘This is childish, it’s bullying and it’s virtue-signalling. The idea that J. K. Rowling is anti-trans in any way is ludicrous.
‘Every single piece of evidence points to her being pro-marginalised people including transgender people. She is as far from a bigot as it’s possible to imagine.’
It is the latest attack on Ms Rowling, 55, who has become the victim of the so-called cancel culture following comments she has made about transgender rights
Douglas Murray, author of the bestselling The Madness Of Crowds: Gender, Race And Identity, said: ‘Transphobia is one of those magical spell words that a certain type of bullying fraud uses to try to win an argument. Even if transphobia was an agreed-on term there is nothing transphobic about J. K. Rowling. These people are as ignorant as they sound.
‘I’ve never heard of the two people who pulled out of the show and I am glad they have give us an opportunity not to hear of them again. Do they want a pre-approval list of everything they go to in life?’
The snub came days after BBC Radio 4 broadcast Can I Still Read Harry Potter? in which cultural commentator Aja Romano, who identifies as non-binary, claimed to be no longer able to read the novels because of the author’s views.
Ms Rowling, Mr Marlow and Ms Moss all declined to comment, as did the BBC.