Writer JK Rowling challenges hate law

JK Rowling has released messages that may breach Scotland’s new hate crime law. “If this is a violation, I look forward to being arrested,” she said.

JK Rowling has challenged Scotland’s new hate crime law in a series of social media posts. The law calls “incitement to hatred” a crime. It is about hatred related to age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity or intersex.

“Freedom of speech and belief is at an end in Scotland when the accurate description of biological sex is deemed criminal,” Rowling posted. She then mentioned a number of criminal cases, including that of trans woman Isla Bryson, who raped two women. Rowling described her as male. She believes that the legislature attaches more value to the feelings of men expressing their femininity than to the rights and freedoms of “real women and girls”.

Rowling is currently abroad. “If what I wrote is an offense,” she ended her speech, “I look forward to being arrested when I return to the birthplace of the Scottish Enlightenment.” (gse)