– This is the first time I have spoken publicly about the podcast, says Megan Phelps-Roper to news. Recently, she was a guest at Nordic Media Days in Bergen. Her podcast, The Witch Trials of JK Rowling, addresses the heated debate surrounding transgender rights and author JK Rowling’s controversial Twitter statements on the subject. It is also the first time the “Harry Potter” author has allowed himself to be interviewed about the transphobia criticism. Phelps-Roper says that through the seven podcast episodes she has tried to nuance the debate. Photo: The Free Press / Lavine Agency – When I first took part in this conversation, I did not understand how inflamed these topics are, or how the debate has become so polarized and toxic, says Phelps-Roper. The accusations that JK Rowling is transphobic came to a head in 2019, when she expressed her views on trans people in a series of Twitter messages. Among other things, she gave support to Maya Forstater, who the previous year had also posted demeaning views of trans people. Rowling showed support for British Maya Forstater who was fired from her job as a result of trans-critical remarks. Forstater was later upheld by the court that she was discriminated against when she lost her job as a result of her controversial views. Photo: Screenshot / Twitter Later, Rowling has made many controversial Twitter messages that have caused many to react. – Creating this podcast has taught me many things, but primarily that these conversations are so complicated because those who participate in the debate feel that there is so much at stake, says Phelps-Roper. “The Witch Trials” is number 15 on the list of most popular podcasts in Norway right now, according to Chartable, which collects podcast figures from Apple and Spotify. Christian conservative bonfires In Great Britain and the United States, the podcast ranks at the very top of the most popular social and cultural podcasts. “The Witch Trials” follows JK Rowling’s story and journey to become the world’s best-selling author and how she became so controversial. JK Rowling in 2006. Photo: POOL / REUTERS – It is very difficult for outsiders to understand this debate. Our goal has been to try to make this a little more understandable for people, says Phelps-Roper. In parallel, we follow Phelps-Roper’s own history and upbringing in the sect Westboro Baptist Church, an American and Christian conservative environment that considered the “Harry Potter” books to be the work of Satan when they were published in the 90s. Phelps-Roper broke with the congregation in 2012 and in his adult life has strongly distanced himself from his previous Christian conservative views. Megan Phelps-Roper tells how she ended up leaving the sect she grew up in. While in the 90s it was the Christian conservatives who burned “Harry Potter” on book bonfires, several trans activists have done the same now 30 years later. By weaving these two stories together, and peppering the episodes with interviews of trans people directly affected by Rowling’s views, Phelps-Roper has attempted to create what she believes is a more nuanced picture of the debate and how it became so polarized. The series has received praise from listeners for its attempt to explain. Criticism from our own guest But it has also received criticism. Among other things by someone who allowed herself to be interviewed for the podcast: Natalie Wynn, better known under her YouTube alias ContraPoints. Wynn is known for posting philosophical video essays from a left-feminist perspective. She is particularly known for a lengthy video analysis of JK Rowling’s Twitter criticism of transgender people. In a new video viewed 3.3 million times, Wynn spends nearly two hours explaining why “The Witch Trials” is a complete bombshell if the goal is to explain the transgender experience. – She [Phelps-Roper] seems to think she’s presenting information and then letting listeners come to their own conclusions, Wynn told the website Pink News. – But the way it is presented leaves one with an idea of JK Rowling as a deep, complicated person with a traumatic background and that everyone who has criticized her has hated her from an irrational point of view, Wynn continues. Natalie Wynn, also known under the YouTube name ContraPoints, has criticized “The Witch Trials”. Photo: Screenshot / Instagram Rowling’s background story with a violent ex-husband also gets a place in the podcast and helps to try to explain why she has developed a fear of men and thus also a conservative view of gender. Other critics have pointed out that the perspective of Wynn and other trans people who wanted to challenge Rowling did not get a place until the last two episodes. – Surprised Now Phelps-Roper says that she was surprised by the criticism from Wynn. – I take her criticism very seriously. I really like Natalie and think she has done a fantastic job with her videos. Phelps-Roper says she takes the criticism seriously. Photo: Silje Olsen / news But Phelps-Roper also refutes the criticism that “The Witch Trials” is distorted. – Many perhaps hoped that this podcast would come up with a solution to the polarized debate. But it just doesn’t. To move on from here, I think the most important thing we do is to talk together, not necessarily reach a consensus, she says. Did she know she would be accused of transphobia – Can you still understand where Wynn’s criticism is coming from? – Yes I can. I was unsure for a long time whether I should even agree to be the host of the podcast. I knew I would be accused of contributing to homophobia and transphobia and get comments that I don’t understand the impact this has on people’s lives, says Phelps-Roper. She nevertheless decided to say yes when she realized that part of the problem is that this debate primarily takes place in social media where things tend to appear extra polarized. – There is no doubt that an attempt to explain in long format is better than what takes place on Twitter, she says. Anti-trans feminists around the world have pressed JK Rowling to their chests. Here from a protest in Spain, where anti-trans feminists protested this winter against a new law that makes it easier to identify as transgender. Photo: NTB / Reuters Who is on a witch hunt? It is still one thing Phelps-Roper may regret. – I’m not sure if “The Witch Trials” is a good title. I’m still trying to decide if I regret it. The producers initially moved away from calling the podcast this because they believed “witch hunt” is a word that is often used by precisely the outer edges of the debate. They did not want to contribute to this themselves. Yet they changed their minds. – We asked ourselves whether JK Rowling is exposed to witch-hunting or whether she herself contributes to witch-hunting. The reason why we finally landed on “The Witch Trials of JK Rowling” is that we realized that that title is actually quite ambiguous, says Phelps-Roper and adds: – At first glance, it might make many people think that it is JK Rowling the victim of a witch hunt. But when they have heard the podcast and we have had the opportunity to explain, they will understand that it is not quite like that after all.
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– I’m not sure if “The Witch Trials” is a good title – news Culture and entertainment
