The Free Press Investigates

I really enjoyed the podcast. It was recommended to me by a friend. And while I always loved Harry Potter books, I never followed the life of J. K. Rowling, although I considered her to be brilliant in what she created. I don’t follow everything in the news, so I did not know everything that was said by J. K. Rowling. Thank you for all the insights. I loved the prehistory, the perspectives, the thoughtful discussion and listening to very interesting way of how to analyze oneself in the world of so many stories, opinions and perspectives!

Listening to these highly intelligent and well spoken women thoughtfully discuss a highly fraught and complex subject was fascinated. I realized how ignorant I was regarding the context here. It was a stark reminder that every internet post has a context- and without understanding that context, we lose the opportunity for meaningful discourse, and devolve into intolerance for ideas and people. My opinion is that both sides are right and wrong about somethings on this issue- one side seems much more open to listening and being found wrong- while the other seems to be confused about what listening means. I wish the promised epilogue was included- otherwise five or five for thoughtful people who like to listen.

Masterfully crafted. We are all inescapably biased, but the mix of insight, perspective, and thoughtfulness this series offers feels like a much needed breath of fresh air in a dizzyingly chaotic and hasty social landscape. More importantly-it allows a genuine opportunity to hear context “from the horses mouth” and allows the listener to be informed while investing time into forming, or reforming, their opinion on JKR, the books she wrote, and her words outside of them. A sincere thank you to Megan for bravely placing herself in the middle of that landscape and allow the listener to absorb the stories she was able to capture in this-we need more people like you. With gratitude!

Excellent investigative journalism that walks you through one of the most difficult and charged issues of our day. In this “post truth” moment it is a joy and relief to hear someone masterfully attempting to create real humane dialogue.

I believe deeply in creating space for conversation. I was so hopeful that these conversations would give equal voice to trans people with the lived experience. That J. K. Rowling's misogynistic beliefs would be challenged with facts. That her amplification of her fears of men she has so strongly projected onto trans women would be directly named. She is obviously deeply wounded from her own harm at the hands of men. That does not excuse any of the hate that she directs at trans people, or the ways she justifies it for herself. She sees women as more vulnerable than the trans community, which is factually wrong. And her Cormoran Strike books, where she writes a trans character as a violent defender, are not brought up or challenged at all. If anything, I think this series has given her a larger platform for hate without inviting the balanced debate that it promotes itself as.