Sir, – Michael McDowell ("Quidditch and playing with freedom of speech", Opinion & Analysis, December 22nd) is doing his best to import the latest episode of US and UK culture wars into Ireland. Indeed, despite the fact that Ireland introduced uncontroversial trans legislation back in 2015, The Irish Times itself has seemed intent on creating controversy here where there was none. Perhaps one of your newspaper's New Year's resolutions could be to leave foreign culture wars where they are? – Yours, etc,
SÉAMUS WHITE,
Dublin 7.
Sir, – Michael McDowell’s opinion piece was a most welcome contribution to the current debate around free speech and cancel culture.
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JK Rowling, a female survivor of domestic abuse, has been targeted and vilified for the “crime” of stating that biological sex is real and immutable, that it impacts each and every one of us and that to protect our rights as women we must hold tight to the language that describes our lives. The derision and abuse heaped on women who speak this truth must stop.
While renaming of the game of Quidditch will affect a very tiny minority, the attempted silencing of those who speak out in support of women’s rights has far greater consequences. – Yours, etc,
SASHA JANSEN,
Dublin 8.