• spiderkle
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    1 year ago

    TLDR; all Britons can say what they want and express themselves freely, unless it breaks any laws or harms another person.

    Isn’t this a classic “freedom of speech” vs. “anti-discrimination-laws” case? Unless the laws in the UK change anytime soon, J.K. very well has the right to talk how she pleases in the confines of the law. She also can’t be forced to change her vocabulary and shouldn’t be afraid to be bullied if she doesn’t. Whatever you may think about her, this always has to goes both ways:

    Under Article 10 of the Human Rights Act 1998, “everyone has the right to freedom of expression” in the UK. The law goes on to say that this freedom “may be subject to formalities, conditions, restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society".

    In 2010 the UK also passed a law protecting it’s citizens from “discrimination, harassment and victimization.”

    If it could be proven that J.K. harmed somebody by her speech, she could be liable for damages. At that point she could also sue back, having the most likely bigger budget than most people.

    • GreatAlbatross@feddit.ukM
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      1 year ago

      As some say “freedom to swing your arms around ends where someone else’s face begins”

      Although that’s maybe not such a good phrase after all, as swinging your arms around to intimidate is also not acceptable.

    • V H@lemmy.stad.social
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      1 year ago

      Yes, she is free to be a giant asshole with a persecution complex. And we are free to call her one.

    • jasory@programming.dev
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      1 year ago

      What a worthless comment. “Your freedom of speech is protected so long as it hasn’t been outlawed”.

      Who knew.

      This is why people say that Europe doesn’t have freedom of speech, because unlike the US there is nothing stopping legislature from simply banning any speech.

      • Ashe@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        1 year ago

        You get called out for shitty behavior that can negatively impact people, and are upset that carries consequences. That’s not bullying fwiw

          • Ashe@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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            1 year ago

            Trans people have always existed and weren’t even on people’s radar until we became the focus of a “culture war”. This is something I denied and battled internally for 15+ years before I decided to actually pursue it; I am markedly less passable as a result, but that’s what the “rational” transphobes want right? Wait until you’re a fully developed adult before making that choice? I did. My voice might be on the deep end of things, but I get gendered correctly in public by total strangers. So while I appreciate my life being called a trend, I can assure you it’s not.

            Now, while I worry about my personal safety by way of being hate crimed in public due to some shitty rhetoric; you can keep posting about getting “bullied” online. Hope this clears things up <3

      • LogarithmicCamel@feddit.uk
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        1 year ago

        Seriously living in the worst timeline.

        It really doesn’t get any worse than people downvoting our posts or saying they don’t agree with us when we post things on the Internet for other people to read. So much bullying! I say we should go back to the good old times when people who felt insulted, whether the insult was real or imagined, would challenge you for a duel at sunset in front of the saloon.

      • iegod@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        Just use they/them. It’s universally understood and was in use long before you ever knew about LGBTQ at all. It’s really not hard. Whatever you think about gender or sex, this is a neutral acknowledgment that is a person. We can all at least agree on that.

      • fosforus@sopuli.xyz
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        1 year ago

        I mean I’m not ecstatic about those things but it’s pretty easy to just ignore them. You know, to keep your shit to yourself. Or are you in some situation that forces you to encounter them on a regular basis?