J.K. Rowling Accuses “Exceptionally Arrogant” Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart of “Dripping with Classism and Misogyny” in Gender Row

J.K. Rowling has accused Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart of being “exceptionally arrogant” and “dripping with classism and misogyny” in a row over gender. The Mail has more. 

The row erupted after For Women Scotland – the activist group behind a landmark Supreme Court victory on the legal definition of women – posted a farewell message from London directed at Campbell that suggested they had hoped to meet him. 

Rowling responded to the post by sharing an animated image of cartoon characters Scooby-Doo and Shaggy looking scared alongside the caption: “Live footage of @campbellclaret and @RoryStewartUK just in.”

Campbell, who co-hosts The Rest is Politics podcast with Stewart, hit back by revealing that he had invited Rowling onto the show to discuss trans issues. 

But the Harry Potter responded by insisting she “wasn’t interested” in being interviewed by them. 

“That’s because I wasn’t interested in being used to boost the viewing figures of a pair of exceptionally arrogant men whose understanding of this issue drips with classism and misogyny, @campbellclaret,” she wrote. 

“If you’re genuinely interested in a debate, I’m at a loss to understand why you’re uninterested in interviewing, who secured the Supreme Court victory and are therefore THE leading voices on this issue.

“But perhaps your charming daughter has adequately represented the entire Campbell family’s view, by describing them as ‘ugly’ women, with whom she wouldn’t ‘want to be in a room’?”

The final sentence refers to a comment by Campbell’s daughter Grace which described a group of activists – several of whom were from For Women Scotland – as “ugly” and “freaks”.

In an episode from the Late To The Party With Grace Campbell last June, with transgender actor Charlie Craggs, she called the group of campaigners “freaks” and “ugly” with “the worst hair and the worst clothes… and the worst views”.

She also said they were “not aspirational in any way” and that she did not “want to be in a room with them”. 

Meanwhile, her remarks sparked outcry online, with Rowling also responding to the clip, mocking the duo, saying they assumed many would “applaud like seals” in agreement with their comments. 

Rowling celebrated the Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of a woman and has been outspoken about the topic online. 

However, Campbell criticised the judgment as lacking “clarity”, adding that his views were informed by family and friends who found the judgement “dangerous”. 

Worth reading in full.