Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for June 24
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Four employees reportedly quit J.K. Rowling's literary agency following the social media firestorm ignited by the "Harry Potter" scribe's controversial comments about sex and gender.
Fox Fisher, a former author of The Blair Partnership, said they and three others left the agency, which represents Rowling, due to its lack of support for the transgender community. Rowling first came under fire after she shared an article titled "Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19- world for people who menstruate." Rowling mocked the use of the phrase "people who menstruate," suggesting that the title should have used the less-inclusive term "women."
Fisher appeared on BBC "Today" this week and said it appears Rowling, 54, has "fallen in with the wrong crowd."
CELEBRITIES REACT TO J.K. ROWLING'S COMMENTS ABOUT TRANSGENDER PEOPLE
"Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I," Daniel Radcliffe, right, said in response to J.K. Rowling's remarks on transgender women. (Getty)
"She is very scared and fearful of things when she just needs to spend some time with some transgender people who might also have been her fans," said Fisher, who identifies as non-binary and prefers to use the pronoun "they," on the BBC show, according to the U.K.'s Sunday Times.
Fisher went on to say that Rowling has not "opened her eyes" on the subject.
"I think when we are not transgender we get our information from other sources including non-transgender people and I think that information can be very flawed," they said.
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Fisher claimed The Blair Agency is "not an equal playing ground."
J.K. Rowling is 'fearful' of the transgender community, an author who used to work at the agency that represents her said. (Reuters)
"JK Rowling is an absolutely huge author and the agency was created around JK Rowling," Fisher said, adding that a lack of an "open conversation" with the agency surrounding the famed author's comments led to his and others' departures.
The Times reported authors Drew Davies and Ugla Stefania Kristjonudottir Jonsdottir also left their roles at the agency. The fourth employee who left has remained anonymous, according to reports.
The Blair Partnership responded to Fisher's claims in a statement to Fox News on Wednesday.
"We support the rights of all of our clients to express their thoughts and beliefs, and we believe in freedom of speech. Publishing and the creative arts are dependent on these things. It is our duty, as an agency, to support all of our clients in this fundamental freedom and we do not comment on their individual views. We are disappointed by the decision that four clients have taken to part ways with the agency," the agency's statement reads.
It continues: "To reiterate, we believe in freedom of speech for all; these clients have decided to leave because we did not meet their demands to be re-educated to their point of view. We respect their right to pursue what they feel is the correct course of action. We value all our authors’ voices and, as an agency, champion equality and inclusivity. We remain committed to making the agency the most welcoming environment it can be for everyone. The diversity of our clients’ voices is our strength and we take enormous pride from each and every one."
Meanwhile, Rowling defended her position earlier this month after a number of irate online commenters bashed the "Harry Potter" writer for her comments. The U.K.-based author's past controversial tweets ignited a social media firestorm, with her trending on Twitter.
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"The idea that women like me, who’ve been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because they’re vulnerable in the same way as women - ie, to male violence - ‘hate’ trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences - is a nonsense," Rowling wrote.
She continued in a second tweet: "I respect every trans person’s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them. I’d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans. At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe it’s hateful to say so."
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Rowling was even dismissed by the movie franchise's very own stars, including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, who each released their own statements on the controversy.
A rep for Rowling declined to comment when reached by Fox News on Wednesday.
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