J.K. Rowling is one of the greatest authors of all time. Her intellectual creation, the Harry Potter book series, is a wonder of imagination and brilliance. Within her writing is a clear ability to connect the dots—a phrase written in one book may come to fruition in another. In life and in her understanding of concrete biology, Rowling makes the historical obvious connection. Men and women are different. This stance has led to years of demonization from both the Harry Potter and trans communities. I commend her for not apologizing or backing down from her correct view in the face of immense public pressure and criticism.
I can’t say the same for "Tipping Point" author and economist, Malcolm Gladwell. This week, during an interview, Gladwell made headlines for stating the very obvious truth that men should not be playing women’s sports:
“If we did a replay of that exact panel at the Sloan conference this coming March, it runs in exactly the opposite direction. And it would be, I suspect, near unanimity in the room that trans athletes have no place in the female category. I don't think there's any question. I'm ashamed of my performance at that panel because I share your position 100 percent and I was cowed. The idea of saying anything on this issue — I was, I believe in retrospect, in a dishonest way, I was objecting in a dishonest way."
This is a major admission from Gladwell. Yes, he’s way late to the party, but it speaks to the heart of just how militant the left can be towards anyone who disagrees. Something J.K. Rowling understands better than anyone. Gladwell is a longtime author at The New Yorker, has several successful books, and even teaches a MasterClass on writing. The money is flowing from everywhere.
READ MORE: 'Tipping Point' Author Reveals That He Is at Heart, a Coward
For Rowling, the admission is a pathetic attempt to rewrite history from a person who was scared to speak out initially. In a scathing post on X, Rowling rightfully highlights the cost to people who don’t have Gladwell's money or job security:
“Gladwell’s career wouldn’t have been destroyed if he’d spoken out against the glaring unfairness, not to mention dangers, of allowing men to compete in women’s sport. He’d have faced loss of approval from the cultural elite and received activist blowback, and even that wouldn’t have come with the tsunami of death and rape threats women face when they speak.
"Non-famous people, mostly women, girls and gay people, have genuinely had their careers and indeed lives destroyed for saying what Gladwell was too pusillanimous to say, and Gladwell didn’t lift a finger in their defence. Like many well-known liberals, he was happy to watch members of the great unwashed bullied, traduced and defamed, fine with the erosion of freedom of speech, comfortable with young women being robbed of sporting honours and facing serious injury, because he valued his own standing and security more highly than acting on the feeble promptings of his conscience.”
Wow, written like only Rowling can do it. She didn’t stop there, going on to mention how he’s not changed, he just senses he’s safe to tell the truth now:
“A rash of condescending men will swarm my mentions when I post this to tell me I should be pleased about Gladwell’s cautious backtracking. No. He hasn’t changed. He’s merely sensed a shift in what it’s acceptable to say and feels safe to align himself with the new consensus, excuses for his previous behaviour to the fore. He isn’t an ally, he’s a weathervane. Changing sides years late, and only after you’ve realised the non-elite opposition is winning, isn’t a mark of integrity but of arse-covering.”
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J.K. Rowling can write this because during this same insane season, she did the opposite of Gladwell. Rowling took on the trans mafia and didn’t back down. She lost friends and former celebrity colleagues and stood up for people who don’t have the same platform, following, or voice. She may have lost in the way of status, but gained respect from millions of people across the world who want to see women properly celebrated and young female athletes protected.
Finally, ask yourself this simple question: Had Kamala Harris won the election in November 2024, is Malcolm Gladwell making this comment? Is he rewriting this wrong? I don’t think so. If bringing back normalcy is all President Trump accomplished in his landslide victory, it would be enough.
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