‘Preening, self-satisfied misogyny’: JK Rowling denounces Irish Eurovision act Wild Youth after the band ‘cut all ties’ with their creative director who called a knife-wielding transgender robber a man
- JK Rowling criticized Eurovision entry after the group cut ties with creative director
- Ian Banham was criticized for calling a knife-wielding trans rover a man
JK Rowling has heavily criticized Ireland’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest after the group ‘severed all ties’ with a creative director who called a knife-wielding transgender robber a man.
Wild Youth said they parted ways with creative director Ian Banham out of “unity and kindness” after he called a trans attacker and convicted rapist a man.
Zara Jade, 54, was jailed for nine years for stabbing and robbing a vulnerable victim and tying her to a chair before taking her card and withdrawing £300 from an ATM.
Ms Rowling condemned the band’s move on Twitter, criticizing a BBC article about Jade’s arrest headlined ‘Woman jailed for stabbing and tying up victim’.
She said: “The re-traumatization of female rape survivors, including this man’s victims, when they see him referred to as a woman by the press, of course, doesn’t count.
Convicted rapist Zara Jade, 54, jailed for nine years for stabbing and robbing vulnerable victim
Wild Youth said they parted ways with creative director Ian Banham from ‘unity and kindness’ after he called a trans attacker and convicted rapist a man
Ireland’s Eurovision entry Wild Youth said they had ‘cut all ties’ with creative director Ian Banham over his tweets
“Wild Youth’s so-called friendliness and inclusiveness is slick, smug misogyny.”
Banham responded to a tweet criticizing the BBC’s coverage of Jade, saying “It’s a MAN! This clown world is ridiculous…”
Wild Youth singer Conor O’Donohoe had previously apologized to fans for Mr Banham’s messages after the band said they had cut ‘all ties’ with the creative director.
Mr O’Donohoe said: ‘First of all I would like to apologize with all my heart to anyone who has been hurt or even had to read such horrible tweets.
“He goes against everything I stand for, his tweets make me sick to my stomach when I read them.
“Writing this song and writing these lyrics was writing about what I believe in. Acceptance Unity and kindness. Ian will have nothing to do with Wild Youth on our Eurovision tour.
Again from the bottom of my heart. I’m sorry to anyone who had to read and be affected by these tweets (sic). ‘
In March, Jade admitted that he was wounded with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm, robbery, fraud and false imprisonment and received nine years in prison with an extended three-year license.
The victim was strapped to an electrically powered chair by her ankles, knees, chest and arms before being tipped backward and power cut.
Bradford Crown Court previously heard how her victim was trapped in their shared flat in Halifax for a few hours while Jade used her card to withdraw £300 before later freeing her.
The attacker was also convicted of rape in 1998 when he identified himself as a man.
