JK Rowling has reopened a row over gender after she suggested that a new police policy for trans suspects was Orwellian.
Police Scotland confirmed that it would record rapes by offenders with a penis as carried out by a woman if they identified as female, regardless of whether they had legally changed gender.
Mimicking the “doublethink” in George Orwell’s 1984 — the practice by which citizens are indoctrinated to believe contradictory ideas to prevent them from thinking rationally and challenging the state — Rowling tweeted: “War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength. The Penised Individual Who Raped You Is a Woman.”
Police Scotland’s policy came under scrutiny after the MP Kenny MacAskill, a former SNP justice secretary, asked how the force would deal with rapes under new laws to make it easier for people to self-identify as a different gender. Gary Ritchie, the assistant chief constable, said there were several scenarios in which a rapist could be recorded as a woman, including when “a person, born male but who identifies as a female and does not have a full gender recognition certificate” commits the attack. The Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 defines rape as non-consensual penetration with a penis.
Rowling, 56, who lives in Edinburgh, has been vocal about her opposition to moves to allow individuals to selfidentify their gender. Her latest remarks have led to a heated debate on social media.
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Yesterday the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, told Times Radio that he supported the right to express “legal views” on the trans debate. “Freedom of speech exists in order to enable truth to be found and to have generous and just communities,” he said. “Where people cannot express, and whatever the views are, and I’m not making a comment on trans issues, but people ought to be able to express legal views without expressing hatred.”
MacAskill, who defected to Alex Salmond’s Alba Party in March, condemned Police Scotland’s stance. He said: “As a lawyer for twenty years and justice secretary for almost eight, I’ve seen some legal absurdities but this tops it all and is dangerous. It’s physically impossible and is about dogma overriding common sense. Women prisoners are being harmed by this and vital crime statistics rendered useless.”
Detective Superintendent Fil Capaldi said: “The sex/gender identification of individuals who come into contact with the police will be based on how they present or how they selfdeclare, which is consistent with the values of the organisation. Police Scotland requires no evidence or certification as proof of biological sex or gender identity other than a person’s self-declaration, unless it is pertinent to any investigation with which they are linked.”
