JK Rowling's second-rate critics should be thanking her, not trying to erase her
Far from being hailed for her vast contribution to public life, our pathetic cultural elite desperately hope she will disappear
If anyone deserves the accolade “national treasure”, it is JK Rowling. The Harry Potter author is one of Britain’s biggest taxpayers; stumping up almost £120 million over the past three years. No jiggery-pokery, all paid directly through Scotland’s self-assessment system. During lockdown, Rowling donated £1m to UK charities working with homeless people and victims of domestic abuse. Her talent, entrepreneurship and triumph over adversity make her a superb role model for children, while her defence of women’s rights is inspirational.
Yet far from being hailed for her vast contribution to public life, our pathetic cultural elite desperately hope she will disappear. The phrase ‘cancel culture’ could have been invented to describe what Rowling endures. In refusing to compromise on her belief that being a woman is a biological reality she has been branded a heretic, dropped from polite society and legitimised as a target for insult and abuse.