Well, as a card carrying member of the black community, I hereby grant you permission to weigh in on any race related issues you like. If you take the time to learn and try to understand the issues from multiple angles, I’m sure you could offer valuable perspectives.

I totally reject this notion that empathy and conversation are not enough to allow us to understand each other and talk intelligently about our experiences. As a trans woman, surely you’re making exactly that argument when you weigh in on issues that affect people like Rowling. After all, she’s not trans. And is impacted by these issues in ways that you’re not.

There is no “correct” opinion for black people or trans people or any other “people” to have. No group all thinks the same way. As you say, trans people aren't a monolith. And I have met trans people, personally, who don't think Rowling is transphobic.

Almost every article I've seen regarding Rowling's words is deeply disingenuous. Cherry-picking tiny parts of her essay or her other comments, adding in a healthy dose of the most uncharitable mind-reading imaginable, and then twisting them to sound as hateful as possible. I suspect a significant number of the people who are upset at her haven't even read what she wrote. Which is why I decided to write this.

So if you disagree with me, that’s fine. Let’s talk about it. But non-trans people have every right to a say on this issue that affects trans and non-trans people.