Judy Murray has backed JK Rowling in an ongoing row over Scotland’s hate crime laws after the Harry Potter author warned against ‘dismantling’ women’s rights in a lengthy social media post.
Rowling – who has led a backlash against the SNP’s ‘authoritarian’ hate crime legislation – expanded on her trans views in a 709-word essay shared on Twitter/X following a spat.
In the post, she wrote how ‘being female is indeed defined by our biology, it’s one material fact about us’.
She went on to say that ‘I feel nothing but sympathy’ for those who have gender dysphoria but added: ‘I do not, however, believe that surgeries and cross-sex hormones literally turn a person into the opposite sex, nor do I believe in the idea that each of us has a nebulous ‘gender identity’ that may or might not match our sexed bodies.’
Rowling continued: ‘I am strongly against women’s and girls’ rights and protections being dismantled to accommodate trans-identified men’. She then concluded: ‘I think the safety and rights of girls and women are more important than those men’s desire for validation.’
Andy Murray’s mother later replied to Rowling’s post with the word ‘preach’ in a post that was celebrated by gender-critical feminists and women’s rights campaigners. Ms Murray, 64, has previously spoken out on the fairness of allowing trans athletes to compete in women’s sports but has not gone into detail on her views.
Rowling had challenged police to arrest her under Scotland’s new hate crime laws when she posted about a series of high-profile trans women, calling them men. Officers found no offence was committed and said it would not be recorded as a ‘non-hate crime incident’.
Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf has defended the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act against claims it would hamper freedom of speech – even accusing Rowling of ‘peddling misinformation’.
Judy Murray, who has backed JK Rowling in an ongoing trans rights row
Rowling expanded on her trans views in a lengthy social media post
Murray said ‘preach’ in response to Rowling’s post
It follows a claim by the Scottish Police Federation saying that less than one per cent of all ‘hate crimes’ reported in Scotland are turning into ‘actual investigations’.
David Kennedy, the general secretary of Scotland’s police federation, has been heavily critical of Humza Yousaf’s shambolic hate crime laws.
He has described it as a ‘disaster’, while Harry Potter author and gender-critical campaigner JK Rowling has also led the backlash against the First Minister’s ‘authoritarian’ law.
Mr Kennedy told The Sunday Times: ‘The number of complaints that translated into actual hate crime investigations is extremely small.
‘I believe that less than 1 per cent of these complaints are translating into actual hate crime investigations.’
David Kennedy (pictured), the general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation
Protesters demonstrate outside Scottish Parliament as the Hate Crime Law were introduced
It comes after the Mail on Sunday revealed that police in Scotland have been swamped with almost 8,000 complaints since the introduction of the hate crime laws.
Control room officers are battling to keep on top of the backlog – equivalent to one grievance every minute.
‘Stirring up hatred’ is now prohibited – and police are braced for thousands more cases following football’s Old Firm derby.
Mr Kennedy said: ‘It is a disaster and officers are swamped under a deluge of complaints.’
Senior officers have warned that police will be forced to make cuts to frontline crime-fighting and face a big overtime bill as a result.
Rowling has been extremely critical of SNP’s hate laws and shared photos of 10 high-profile trans people – including convicted sex offenders – and ridiculed their claims to be women.
Speaking at Glasgow’s Prestwick Airport, Mr Yousaf said: ‘There’s deliberate misinformation being peddled by some bad actors across Scotland – it’s hardly surprising the Opposition seek to do that.
‘What we’ve got is a piece of legislation that in the actual Act itself, explicitly in black and white, protects freedom of expression, freedom of speech.’
The SNP leader went on: ‘At the same time, it makes sure that it protects people from hatred being stirred up against them, and that is really important when we have far too many incidents of hatred that can be because of their age, disability, sexuality or religion.’
‘There’s no place for that in Scotland, and you have to send a really strong signal that the law will protect you.’
Humza Yousaf has strongly defended the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act
People take part in the Let Women Speak rally following the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act outside The Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh, April 6, 2024
Rowling’s comments were reported to Police Scotland as alleged hate crimes – but the force said they did not meet the threshold for a crime.
They also said it would not record a ‘non-crime hate incident’ against her.
An NCHI is when a complaint does not meet the threshold for a crime but is perceived to be ‘motivated (wholly or partly) by malice and ill-will towards a social group’, according to Police Scotland guidance.
She also said that most Scots were ‘upset and offended by Yousaf’s bumbling incompetence.’
Rowling wrote on X/Twitter: ‘Most of Scotland is upset and offended by Yousaf’s bumbling incompetence and illiberal authoritarianism, but we aren’t lobbying to have him locked up for it.’
