I have read the Mermaids response, as I think it's important to read intelligent discourse from both sides of the argument. The issue I have here isn't with the discussion, it's with the overall tone of the discussion as experienced by people on social media. One highlighted in part by your response that someone must be wrong and someone must be right. There are valid points on either side of a complex debate, whether those are immediately obvious or not, it takes time to unpick those and find a way forward together.

I see nothing wrong in the Mermaid's response to Rowling, but nor do I see the need to have a knee jerk 'cancel culture' response to Rowling's original view. What we need is the most intelligent people to sit down and debate, what we're getting is the loudest voices. The loudest voices might be appealling to some people but broadly speaking, they do more harm than good.

The definition of bigot is simply someone who refuses to listen to the views of someone else. It's perfectly possible for Rowling to be a bigot and Trans people to be bigots. The push for equality also encompasses the right to be a bigotted idiot. Whether or not individuals on either side of the argument have considered it, there are real world repercussions for a society looking to alter the law and its thinking in such a way - and that means that we must talk about it. Without prejudice. Without cancel culture and without letting demagogues on either side of the debate have the microphone for any longer than is strictly necessary.