JK Rowling weighs in on Twitter debate after Elon Musk’s brief comments about transgender people: ‘Cis is ideological language’

Famed Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling caused a stir on Twitter after Elon Musk announced that the terms “cis” and “cisgender” would be considered slurs on the platform.

In Twitter post, Rowling — who has sparked controversy and even boycotts for her comments on sexual orientation in the past —  said that “cis” is an “ideological language” and “the rest of us have a right to disagree.”

“‘Cis’ is ideological language, signifying belief in the unfalsifiable concept of gender identity,” Rowling wrote Wednesday, June 21.

She added: “You have a perfect right to believe in unprovable essences that may or may not match the sexed body, but the rest of us have a right to disagree, and to refuse to adopt your jargon.”

“The rest of us have a right to disagree, and to refuse to adopt your jargon.”

— J.K. Rowling

Musk seemed to agree with the author.

“Exactly,” he wrote in response to Rowling’s post.

Other Twitter users disagreed, however, blasting the author for speaking out about the topic.

“Have you considered just being kind?’ one user asked.

“The hypocrisy of an author who uses words to tell stories then rejects a word used as an adjective for 30 plus years then wants her followers to do the same,” one user wrote. “J.K, it isn’t jargon just look in the dictionary.”

JK Rowling has sparked controversy and even boycotts for her comments on sexual orientation in the past. (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

Others agreed with Musk and Rowling, saying their posts were spot on.

“You got that 1000%,” one user wrote.

“It’s so strange that outside of the ‘West’ no one is talking about cis, he/she, they/them, it/bit,” another wrote.

Rowling’s comments and the subsequent backlash came after Twitter owner Musk announced the words “cis” and “cisgender” would be considered slurs on the social media platform.  Violators would be subject to penalties, according to Musk.

“Repeated, targeted harassment against any account will cause the harassing account to receive, at minimum, temporary suspensions,” Musk tweeted. “The words ‘cis’ or ‘cisgender’ are considered slurs on this platform.”

Musk’s statement came after cultural commentator James Esses said he was the target of activists on the platform.

“Yesterday, after posting a Tweet saying that I reject the word ‘cis’ and don’t wish to be called it, I receive a slew of messages from trans activists calling me ‘cissy’ and telling me that I am ‘cis’ ‘whether or not I like it,'” Esses wrote on Twitter. “Just imagine if the roles were reversed.”

Elon Musk, billionaire and chief executive officer of Tesla, at the Viva Tech fair in Paris, France, on Friday, June 16, 2023. (Nathan Laine/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

This is not Rowling’s first time taking a controversial stance on the cultural war.

In 2020, she faced considerable backlash from fans after she issued multiple tweets in response to an article regarding “people who menstruate” saying she preferred the word “woman” be used in place of the phrase.

“‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people,” Rowling wrote in a Twitter post in 2020. “Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”

Rowling’s comments and the subsequent backlash came after Twitter owner Musk announced the words “cis” and “cisgender” would be considered slurs on the social media platform. (Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

In another tweet, the U.K.-based author questioned gender-identity saying, “erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives.”

“If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction,” Rowling tweeted to her 14.5 million followers. “If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.”

“It isn’t hate to speak the truth.”

— J.K. Rowling

Previously the author has defended her opinions on gender by saying that she spent the last three years studying gender and sexuality and subsequently forming her own opinions.

“Never assume that because someone thinks differently, they have no knowledge,” she wrote in a Twitter post in June 2020.