Harry Potter author and anti-transgender activist JK Rowling has earned herself another unlikely ally: Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Rowling, of course, has earned a reputation in the past few years for her vitriolic attacks on transgender people. Putin, likewise, has targeted the LGBTQ community in Russia and Eastern Europe. One of his biggest justifications for the current Russian invasion of Ukraine is to “protect” Russia from a supposed gay conspiracy, led by NATO.
Amid the ongoing war, Putin voiced his support for JK Rowling and her anti-trans beliefs. He has also likened the “cancellation” of Russia to calls for the boycotting of Rowling’s works. In a recent speech aired on SkyNews, the Russian dictator claimed both Russia and Rowling have experienced the same “discrimination.”
“They canceled JK Rowling, the children’s author recently,” he said in his speech. “Her books are published all over the world. Just because she didn’t satisfy the demands of gender rights.”
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“They are now trying to cancel our country,” he continued. “I’m talking about the progressive discrimination of everything to do with Russia, this trend that’s unfolding in Western states… They’re now engaging in cancel culture.”
WATCH: Vladimir Putin says the West has "cancelled" JK Rowling and are now "engaging in cancel culture" against Russia.
(Begins at 1:00)pic.twitter.com/fqAin41HpO
— TLDR News UK (@TLDRNewsUK) March 25, 2022
Putin’s latter remarks refer to the recent cancellation of performances of the 1812 Overture by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in several nations. Various musical groups have cited the invasion of Ukraine as the reason behind the nixing; the piece was originally written as a patriotic tribute to Russia during Napoleon’s invasion of the country.
In the same speech, Putin also likened cancel culture to Nazism.
“We remember the footage when they were burning books,” he said. “It is impossible to imagine such a thing in our country and we are insured against this thanks to our culture.”
Rowling, for her part, responded just minutes ago to Putin’s remarks.
The author took to Twitter to condemn Putin, writing, “Critiques of Western cancel culture are possibly not best made by those currently slaughtering civilians for the crime of resistance, or who jail and poison their critics. #IStandWithUkraine.”
Rowling also included a picture of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, whom Putin has jailed.
Critiques of Western cancel culture are possibly not best made by those currently slaughtering civilians for the crime of resistance, or who jail and poison their critics. #IStandWithUkraine https://t.co/aNItgc5aiW
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 25, 2022
Apparently, Putin doesn’t appreciate the irony of his own words. He and his regime are notorious for the persecution of journalists and the Russian President’s political dissidents, including Navalny. He also has a long history of assaulting, deporting, or murdering his critics.
For that matter, we also have a feeling Putin probably doesn’t know much about Rowling’s work. The author has cited Soviet leader Joseph Stalin as the inspiration behind Harry Potter master villain Lord Voldemort, a character known for the violent repression of his opposition and censorship of media. Contemporary journalists have also noted the similarities between Stalin and Putin.
IWantAFullBeard
It’s an attempt by the article author to get your emotions going by making a myopic analysis of a situation. If one disagrees with Rowling, then refute her argument. If one doesn’t care to refute it, then don’t talk about her.
These articles are nothing but an obsession with getting people angry. Frankly, it’s more toxic than anything Rowling said.
Fahd
Putin is all about distraction and contributing to discord and disunity in the West.
In the West, the media isn’t censored and we grow and prosper through open criticism.
To quote Rowling: “Critiques of Western cancel culture are possibly not best made by those currently slaughtering civilians for the crime of resistance, or who jail and poison their critics.
How revealing and embarrassing for Rowling that she had to reject Putin’s support; talk about lose-lose.
Mr. Stadnick
She isn’t really one to talk about it either. She is by all accounts a rather unpleasant person filled with intolerance.
The Accidental Polemicist
@Fahd
It’s not “embarrassing”, considering the vast majority of America and the world population believe the same thing.
Cam
Awwwww, the anti-LGBGTQ troll account here to deflect from Putin and defend Rowling.
Sweetie, see, the story was about him praising her, and her response. They never said the tweet was phobic.
But it’s cute you’re so bad at trolling you couldn’t even figure that out.
As always, your troll game is sad and weak.
woodroad34
My sister, sister in law, and nieces’ lives are also framed by being female. They don’t use whatever position or voice they have to denigrate a transperson. That quote you wrote not only is her rouging a pig, but it comes off as her rolling her eyes and heaving an exasperated sigh and implying “Oh, okay! OKAY! I will march with you if you feel offended, discriminated against, or abused for being trans…but I still don’t like trans people around me.”
woodroad34
Obviously Rowling is being courted by House of Slytherin and she’s batting her lashes back at them.
Bosch
Putin is murdering thousands, and ruining millions of lives, but throws a hissy fit about “cancel culture”?
Typical.
radiooutmike
Yes, because that will endear even more Vlad to America’s Rightest Wing!
‘Look, they’re canceling her, and then they’re going to cancel me! ‘
guezwhoitis
There is nothing more nefarious, indignant entitled white woman- singling out a person for their right to exist in this forsaken hell hole we call earth. Now imagine what a horrible human being you have to be, for a [monster] like Putin praising you for it. You must be a repulsive bigot to earn such praise from a despot.
The Accidental Polemicist
@guezwhoitis
For those of us that love women, it is not “repulsive”at all.
202gay.com
Putin advertised her well, but she is dissatisfied with something … Say thank you! They completely forgot about you, but now they remembered thanks to Volodya
ScottOnEarth
He is truly insane. Rowling has alienated millions of people for her take on trans people….while Putin has caused needless deaths, destruction and awful suffering in a beautiful, peaceful country. There is no comparison. He’s not a victim of cancel culture – he has shown the world that he is completely evil and vile and must be defeated. Rowling’s anti-trans rants are absolutely harmful but Putin is seriously misguided if he’s trying to draw a parallel between their respective circumstances.
tallskin4
JK Rowlings said:
Dress however you please.
Call yourself whatever you like.
Sleep with any consenting adult who’ll have you.
Live your best life in peace and security.
But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real?
seems fair enough to me. What’s wrong with that you Queerty airheads?
The Accidental Polemicist
Sounds good to me.
(Common sense is a flower that doesn’t grow in everyone’s garden.)
SkyeEyks
That does seem fair enough, but who is forcing women out of jobs for stating that sex is real?
BoomerMyles
Woman needs to be permanently cancelled.
tallskin4
I use the word “airhead” and, spookily, as if by magic an airhead appears right before us, and is unable to resist the temptation to open its silly mouth to make a fatuous comment …..
tallskin4
“SkyeEyks -That does seem fair enough, but who is forcing women out of jobs for stating that sex is real?”
“SkyeEyks- we’ve had this discussion on here over and over and over and it’s been all over the internet for years now. But ok assuming you’re not a trans activist arguing in bad faith, look up Maya Forstater who lost her job as a tax expert at the Centre for Global Development – an international think tank that campaigns against poverty and inequality – in March 2019 and who JK Rowlings made that tweet to support.