Resisting censorship

This content has been archived. It may no longer be accurate or relevant.

From The Bookseller:

Last month, 58 writers, journalists and artists signed a letter in the Sunday Times in support of JK Rowling, condemning the ‘onslaught of abuse’ she has received regarding her views on sex, gender and trans rights. Signatories included Tom Stoppard, Ian McEwan and Lionel Shriver. Three days later, more than 200 writers, agents, editors and publishers published a statement in support of trans and non-binary people and their rights in a message of ‘love and solidarity’. Signatories included Jeanette Winterson, Malorie Blackman and Nikesh Shukla. The worrying implication in the timing of their statement appears to be that any public support for JK Rowling is perceived to be an attack on the transgender community. The magazine Mslexia dropped the author Amanda Craig as a competition judge following her signing the Sunday Times letter, because of views ‘that threaten to undermine Mslexia’s climate of welcome and inclusivity’.

All writers and publishers should be speaking out in support of JK Rowling, no matter where they stand on the transgender issue: whether they believe like Jeanette Winterson and fellow signatories that ‘transwomen are women’ or, like JK Rowling, that ‘if sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased’. The treatment of Rowling is an attempt to censor, by intimidation as well as by discrediting her opinions as hate speech and discrimination. While it may not, fortunately, be possible to silence one of the most successful writers in the world, there are others whose livelihoods are at risk for daring to voice similar views. Anyone in the business of publishing or writing should defend Rowling’s right to express her opinions in support of the principle of freedom of expression. It is the principle that enables every writer and publisher who signed the statement in support of the trans and non-binary community to do their work – and also to sign such a statement.

We are currently witnessing a dangerous flight from that principle. It is group rights that now trump a precious universal right. The idea of tolerating views that you may disagree with or find offensive has been abandoned. That act of toleration, however uncomfortable, is essential for safeguarding an open society where ideas can be freely expressed, challenged and tested. Freedom of expression has always been one of the most vulnerable of all human rights, partly because it is not absolute, and it has taken decades to push the boundaries, often through the creativity and courage of writers, artists and publishers.

The current trend towards conformity risks creating a bland and fearful culture, and we can already see the damage: from the cancelling of the Philip Guston exhibition last month by four museums, including Tate Modern, to Hachette’s decision to drop Woody Allen’s memoir earlier this year. All these institutions, no doubt, will consider their decisions to be enlightened, wishing not to cause offence to vulnerable groups. But the right to freedom of expression includes the protection of speech that may offend, shock or disturb. If you close it down, then you also limit the ability of minorities to speak out.

Link to the rest at The Bookseller

1 thought on “Resisting censorship”

  1. This documentary is a good summary of what’s been going on. I’ve watched it many times over the past few weeks.

    NO SAFE SPACES Trailer
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTOQGvXbZY8

    I’ve seen most of the original material that it is based on. Hours and hours of videos, and many articles. They are all in my Story folders now.

    What’s interesting, is this explains some of the odd things that I have encountered in recent years. I was born in 1956, and have been retired since 2008, thus limiting my exposure to this nonsense. I have seen people acting as scared mice in a normal conversation, as if what I’ve said makes me some kind of monster, and they scurry away from me. When that has happened, I was puzzled. Now I understand.

    – I personally have no intention of dying in some re-education camp if these people gain full control.

    Just the other day, while watching the PBS Newshour, I realized that these scared mice will not be happy until all of the News anchors are replaced by Black Drag Queens like RuPaul.

    – At least RuPaul will make the anchor desk look good while wearing haute couture.

    See, that was a joke that would get me “cancelled” by the Woke, and labeled as “evil”.

    If you are not aware, the Woke think that Black Trans Women are the most oppressed class, thus they have the greatest Woke credibility.

    BTW, The fact that I had to explain that joke is “death” when it comes to comedy, but I digress.

Comments are closed.