Nobody asked you JK, nobody asked you.

Before moving on to exclusively hate-
filled tweets, Rowling previously
wrote children's fantasy novels. 

Recently, noted transphobic shitshow, and self-appointed arbiter of everyone else's genitals, JK Rowling decided to lay into the manager (that's British for coach, I think. I'm not sure, I didn't really watch Ted Lasso) of the Sutton United women's football (that's soccer to those of us who call lifts elevators and live with crushing medical debt) club (team? It's both British and sports-related so cut me some slack) in Britain for daring to be trans. And, I mean that's whatever. Of course she did. 

What exactly did she say? Doesn't matter. It was mean-spirited and she sucks. What I do want to talk about is these headlines:

I remember when a Double Down was a
sandwich with chicken in place of bread and
not a phrase meaning "leaning into vitriol."

"JK Rowling row continues after she doubles down on mocking trans football manager Lucy Clark"

-The Hindustan Times

"JK Rowling is accused of cruelty as she mocks transgender football manager by comparing her to a 'straight, white, middle-aged bloke"

-Daily Mail

To be clear, even Elon Musk thinks she's gone
off the rails. And he came up with Cybertruck.

"JK Rowling accused of bullying transgender women's football manager"

-The Telegraph

Notice anything about them? That maybe they all, in general, frame the party who starts tweeting hateful nonsense at a complete stranger as being the aggressor and in the wrong?

I ask because this is the Fox News take of the story:

Suddenly Fox News cares about soccer?

Pictured: Lucy Clark, football managing.
Not pictured: Literally anyone asking
JK Rowling what she thinks about it.

JK Rowling leads criticism? Wow, not all heroes wear capes I guess. This kind of makes it sound like the celebrating of Lucy Clark's position as manager warranted not only comment but criticism and only JK Rowling was brave enough to look at something that was in no way her business, or really anyone's business but Lucy Clark and I guess her boss, and give her take. Her unprovoked, shitty take that basically took the form of a funny funny joke about how trans women are just dudes.

"More on the woke agenda turning your
kids gay after these commercials for gold."

-Fox

Beneath the headline is a subheading reading "Lucy Clark, who manages Sutton United, fired back on X." Like this is a dispute or a debate when really Rowling just started tweeting at this woman. It's almost like Fox News deliberately tailors their headlines to appeal to a particular type of person who feels threatened by change and by the increasing visibility of people different from them. And just reassures them and reinforces their worldview instead of asking them to think critically or question their values.

Now, I know what you're thinking, is this--huh? No, it's a figure of speech, I have no idea what you're thinking. Although, you might be wondering if the other news outlets quoted above are editorializing when approach the headline from the position that Rowling is out-of-line in making her comment? Maybe? I don't know. But I don't think so. You wouldn't describe an armed robbery with a headline like: Mugger liberates wallet as random passerby walks down the street. Unless you were like, pro-mugger, so...

Although, in a sense, Fox News kind of is pro-mugger.