Margaret Atwood Speaks Out in Support of the Trans Community

Unlike some people...

margaret atwood
Congratulations to Margaret Atwood, who knows that trans women are women.
Lars Niki/Getty Images for New York Women in Film & Television

After a certain female author came under fire recently for a series of transphobic rants from which she has repeatedly refused to back down, fellow noted female author Margaret Atwood has spoken up in support of trans rights.

Earlier this week, the Handmaid’s Tale author shared an article on “The New Science of Sex and Gender” from Scientific American, encouraging her followers to “Rejoice in Nature’s infinite variety!”

“Biology doesn’t deal in sealed Either/Or compartments,” Atwood wrote in a tweet. “We’re all part of a flowing Bell curve. Respect that!”

The Canadian writer went on to defend trans rights in several subsequent tweets as the inevitable anti-trans backlash came rolling in.

“What the piece is talking about is that sex and gender don’t always go together and are not experienced by all people in the same way. That appears to be undeniable,” Atwood replied to one user who wrote, “When it comes to sex, it all falls into female or male.”

Atwood also had a reality check for another user who commented that it was “sad” to see Atwood “capitulate to this nonsense” while her books are known for revealing “that women have been and still are oppressed because of their biology.”

“Of course they have been and are oppressed! That’s covered in this Scientific American collection, as well,” Atwood replied. “Nobody is saying that men and women are the same in all respects. Please read the actual pieces.”

While Atwood’s tweets do not directly reference J.K. Rowling, the Canadian writer joins several other authors and public figures, including Stephen King, who have spoken out in support of the trans community since Rowling’s anti-trans sentiments made headlines last month.

Atwood’s tweets were posted just one day before her name appeared alongside Rowling’s on a controversial open letter against cancel culture signed by a number of other celebrities and public figures.

Subscribe here for our free daily newsletter.

The InsideHook Newsletter.

News, advice and insights for the most interesting person in the room.