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Many of the tech billionaire’s fans wondered why the noted transphobe would ask a like-minded person to stop attacking transgender people online.
Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X (formerly Twitter), who has a history of transphobic remarks, chastised well-known anti-transgender author J.K. Rowling on his social media platform Saturday for excessively publishing content about sex and gender issues. Musk’s comment was prompted by Rowling’s recent posts discussing sex and gender matters, and he urged her to diversify her content.
Rowling’s post delineated her belief that a woman is defined by being born with a body geared toward producing eggs, irrespective of fertility, appearance, or behavior. She rejected the notion that womanhood is defined by conforming to societal expectations or stereotypes, emphasizing the biological aspects of reproduction.
In his direct comment to Rowling, Musk wrote, “While I heartily agree with your points regarding sex/gender, may I suggest also posting interesting and positive content on other matters?”
The interaction between Musk and Rowling has sparked negative reactions from far-right X users. One person supporting Rowling wrote, “May I suggest that her posts on sex/gender have kept many of us here on your platform? When no one else would speak the truth as she did, women who were being bullied on here & irl looked to her as our touchstone to keep going. Gender identity ideology & queer theory isn’t nearly over. We need her.”
Another user criticized Musk’s involvement in moderating content, highlighting the need for freedom of expression: “May I suggest, as owner of the platform, you apply zero pressure to anyone regarding the content of their speech.”
A third user pointed out an opportunity for Musk to utilize the platform’s features: “Elon, this would be a good time to use the edit function you added.”
X has faced ongoing issues related to transphobic content on X since Musk’s acquisition. GLAAD’s 2023 Social Media Safety Index, which evaluates social media platforms’ efforts to protect LGBTQ+ users, identified X as the most dangerous platform for this community. It highlighted the failure of social media platforms, including X, to effectively enforce policies safeguarding LGBTQ+ individuals from online hate speech and harassment. Musk has been criticized for his comments and policy changes, including the removal of protections against deadnaming and misgendering, which have contributed to making X a platform where transgender people feel increasingly unsafe. Last October, Musk incorrectly referred to the term “cisgender” as a “heterosexual slur” and banned its use from the platform, further igniting controversy and criticism from both users and advocacy groups.
