JK Rowling leads women's rights condemnation of the Fawcett Society
by OLIVIA ALLHUSEN · Mail OnlineJK Rowling has slammed a trans-inclusive women's charity after it posed up with Sadiq Khan for the Suffragette Line unveiling.
The picture sparked outrage yesterday with the Harry Potter author accusing the Fawcett Society of 'cosying up with the political elite' while fellow women's rights campaigners stand at the Supreme Court 'fighting for actual women'.
The Fawcett Society - named after famous suffragette Millicent Fawcett - is a charity which says it is dedicated to championing women's rights.
But it also says it is trans-inclusive, something which some feminists think is incompatible in areas, such as female-only spaces like toilets.
The tweet celebrating the trainline tribute has now been deleted after it was heavily criticised and called 'performative feminism'.
It comes after the Fawcett Society came under fire for its 'dismaying' response to the EHRC guide for separate and single-sex service providers where it 'supported' the idea that separate spaces - such as bathrooms - were only permissible under certain criteria.
To add fuel to the fire the Mayor of London - who has also been lambasted by feminists for his position on trans-rights - was also pictured standing with the Fawcett Society member.
Reacting to the picture Rowling wrote on X: 'While @fawcettsociety has been cosying up to the political elite for photo ops, @ForWomenScot have been in court fighting for actual women.'
X users flocked to the site to share their opinions on the controversial post - with many agreeing with the author and criticising the Fawcett Society.
One person wrote: 'Naming train lines is performative feminism and does nothing for women.'
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Another added: 'Meanwhile @ForWomenScott is out here in court doing the real work' to which someone replied: 'Indeed, very true - actions speak far louder than words and selfies!'
'Empty posturing gesture of virtue-signalling. Do you even know what’s been going on at the Supreme Court this week?
'Women are quite literally fighting for our right to exist in law while you’re f******* about,' remarked a fourth.
A fifth reckoned: 'They don't know what suffrage means. It's sad that people haven't looked into the history of the woman's movement at all.'
And a sixth said: 'working class suffrage' - what do this lot know about it? Virtue signalling b******.'
Others took aim at Sadiq Kahn and questioned his commitment to the cause.
One person commented: 'He does not even know what a woman is,' while another added: 'That dude doesn't give 2 poops about Women's suffering.'
A third said: 'What have you done to keep men out of women’s safe spaces and sports? Better to Honor the living than those that have gone.'
Previously the mayor has found himself in hot water following claims his administration had sacked a women's campaigner after she expressed concerns about trans women being allowed into refuges for rape victims.
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Supreme Court hearing which will determine the definition of a woman begins today
The charity mentioned in Rowling's tweet - For Women Scotland - has this week brought a landmark case to the Supreme Court challenging the Scottish Government over the definition of a woman.
Campaigners from the group are arguing that trans women should not be able to fill roles meant for biological women under legislation designed to ensure equal numbers of men and women on company boards.
The case – which has been brought by gender-critical activists – will see five justices consider the question: 'Is a person with a full gender recognition certificate which recognises that their gender is female, a 'woman' for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010?'
The Scottish government, which is contesting the case, insists the term woman includes a 'person issued with a full GRC in the acquired gender of female'.
Supporters of For Women Scotland were seen standing outside the court holding a large sign which read: 'We know what a women is'.
They were successful in their campaign and have prompted ministers to change the bill to the effect that a full gender recognition certificate could be taken as a declaration of someone’s sex 'for all purposes'.
Sadiq Khan's press office declined to comment.
The Fawcett Society has been approached for comment.