‘Last week tonight’ host John Oliver defends biological males competing in female sporting events, JK Rowling tells him to “Read the f***ing room”
On 7th April (local time), bestselling author JK Rowling once again expressed her strong views against the inclusion of biological males in women’s and girls’ sports. This time, she publicly criticised comedian and television host John Oliver after he used his HBO platform ‘Last Week Tonight’ to push for the inclusion of biological males in female sports, dismissing concerns around fairness and safety.
In his latest episode, Oliver revisited a previous segment following United States President Donald Trump’s return to office, where he had lambasted the order that banned transgender athletes from competing in the female category.
Oliver said, “There are few trans girls competing in high school sports anywhere,” while brushing aside the growing concerns on a global scale over women losing podiums and scholarships. He claimed, “there is no evidence they pose any threat to safety or fairness.”
Harry Potter author JK Rowling hits back
JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, has long been known for her unwavering stance on women’s rights. She quoted a post containing a video of Oliver supporting biological males’ inclusion and pointed out the irony that his assertions were aired on the same day a women’s pool final was contested between two men. She wrote, “I understand why men like Oliver, who’ve consistently mocked anti-science people on the right, sold out initially,” Rowling said. “But it’s time to read the f**king room,” she added.
A British woman replied to her post saying, “I can’t imagine willingly appearing this stupid for the sake of political correctness.” To which Rowling said, “They’re still regurgitating Twitter TRA talking points from 2020. I can’t imagine anyone being so far up their own backside they haven’t noticed that this nonsensical crap is facing a massive grassroots backlash… and that girls and women are being harmed.”
Mockery over substance – Oliver’s punchlines draw ire
Oliver admitted on-air that the subject was “more complicated”. However, he stuck to his previous claims and, when they last locked horns over the matter, he chose to mock Rowling for her response, joking about her long post and likening himself to a forgotten version of Harry Potter.
Replying to his mockery, JK Rowling wrote, “If you want to tell the world you’re happy to watch females suffer injury, humiliation and the loss of sporting opportunities to bolster an elitist post-modern ideology… fair enough. But maybe rethink using all too real and common sexual predation against young women as a punchline.”
The hypocrisy of the ‘believe the science’ brigade
Rowling also called out the inconsistency of commentators with left-leaning ideology like Oliver, who otherwise ridicule anti-science rhetoric. She wrote, “Again and again I’ve come up against men who argue exactly what Oliver does. Using the very same talking points. With a straight face, the ‘believe the science’ guys will say ‘actually, we don’t yet have enough data to say whether men and boys are stronger and faster than women and girls’.”
The decision to allow the inclusion of trans men in women’s sports has drawn criticism everywhere, as biological men have an advantage when it comes to sports against biological women. Even if a sportsperson has gone through a sex change in the early years, chances are that the woman sportsperson will have a disadvantage on the field. In the past few years, trans men competing in the women’s category have completely destroyed the chance of a woman athlete to win the competition.
Rowling’s stand continues to resonate with many who feel women’s rights and sporting integrity are being sidelined in favour of ideological posturing. As the Harry Potter creator herself put it—perhaps it’s really time to read the f**king room.
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