Was JK Rowling being offensive?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....girl-adult-novel.html

[andy-hughes]

That depends on who is reading what she has written.

I am not a Sikh woman, so i am not offended by the observation - although I would suggest it is a little ill-judged given the Sikh aproach to the physical form.

I think a degree of hysteria will be whipped up becase Ms Rowking is no longer seen as the 'innocent' author of the Potter novels whcih were akways essentially childrens' books.

That of course is a ludicrous position to take - it means that Johnny Depp should never be allowed on a ship of any description unsupervised because, after all, he is a pirate!

Ms. Rowking is entirely free to move her writing to another genre, and another audience, although i would reiterate that this sentence was perhaps ill-judged given her high profile and the obviousl level of exposure accorded to anything she writes.

[jackthehat]

<<<One of the characters, Fats, describes Sukhvinder, his classmate, as ‘mustachioed, yet large-mammaried’, adding that ‘scientists remain baffled by the contradictions of the hairy man-woman’.>>>

What is the betting that this is actually one of the apparent instances of 'casual racism' that JKR deals with in the book.........and therefore taken entirely out of context?

[AB Editor]

Has anyone read it? I've heard lots of grumpy stuff about it.

[andy-hughes]

Hi jack - how's it going? xx

[ludwig]

//
One of the characters, Fats, describes Sukhvinder, his classmate, as ‘mustachioed, yet large-mammaried’, adding that ‘scientists remain baffled by the contradictions of the hairy man-woman’.
//

One of the characters in the book said it, not J K Rowling.

Looks like Daily Mail sh1t stirring. JK Rowling is one of their hate figures because she's a big Labour supporter.

[jackthehat]

Very well, thank you, Andy. :o)

[ludwig]

Didn't see Jack's post before I did mine.

[friedgreentomato]

ludwig - hush you cannot say that about the Daily Mail!!!

[FredPuli43]

No. She's described a woman who has a hairy upper lip. They do exist in India as elsewhere. If the complaint is that no Sikh woman has hair on her upper lip, and it's true, then the author is guilty of misdescription only.

[youngmafbog]

Who cares what she writes, dont read it if you dont like it.

I see the noo labour luvvies are out in force today

[andy-hughes]

Are they? Where? How can you tell?

[anneasquith]

now thats interesting,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, id like to hear/see the views of sikh females before commenting .

[Gromit]

Surely the Daily Mail should know it is Fiction. They write enough of it themselves.

[McMouse]

There are many women in Slough who have quite noticeable hairy upper lips as well as sideburns. I hadn't realised it was because their religion forbade shaving or trimming hair. In any event they usually look attractive and well turned out. In answer to the OP, I don't think offence was intended, nor should it have been taken.

[Gromit]

Andy-hughes

Easy to spot, The Labour Luvvies are the people who can spell 'new'.

[ludwig]

// Has anyone read it? I've heard lots of grumpy stuff about it. //

Let's face it, it was always going to get slated no matter what. It does sound a bit crap though.

[andy-hughes]

Grommit - I don't understand ...

[starone]

Don't expect she will worry about it. She is a millionaire several times over with her Harry Potter books. And after all, isn't that what it's all about - making money. Not only that but didn't someone say once that all publicity is good publicity (compare 'Fifty shades of grey').

[anotheoldgit]

ludwig

/// One of the characters in the book said it, not J K Rowling. ///

You couldn't make this up could you, well it looks as if JK Rowlings has.

Who do you think put the words into the characters mouth?

Yes, JK Rowlings she created the character, and also wrote the so called offensive words.

Wasn't it Dickens who caused Oliver Twist to ask for more?

/// Looks like Daily Mail sh1t stirring. JK Rowling is one of their hate figures because she's a big Labour supporter. ///

That's not bad, bringing politics into it, while managing to get the usual Daily Mail dig in at the same time.

[joeluke]

All women have moustaches if you look closely enough

but at least some do something about it and remove them