JK Rowling has slammed Ireland’s Eurovision entry after the group ‘cut all ties’ with a creative director who called a knife-wielding transgender robber a man.
Wild Youth said they had parted ways with creative director Ian Banham out of ‘unity and kindness’ after he referred to a trans attacker and convicted rapist as 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 and criticised a BBC article on Jade’s arrest with the headline ‘Woman jailed after stabbing and tying up victim.’
She said: ‘The re-traumatisation of female rape survivors, including this man’s victims, on seeing him called a woman by the press counts for nothing, naturally.
‘The so-called kindness and inclusivity of Wild Youth is preening, self-satisfied misogyny.’
Mr Banham responded to a tweet critcising the BBC coverage of Jade, saying: ‘It’s a MAN! This clown world is ridiculous…’
Wild Youth lead singer Conor O’Donohoe had previously apologised to fans over Mr Banham’s posts after the band said it had ‘cut all ties’ with the creative director.
Mr O’Donohoe said: ‘First off I want to apologise with my whole 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 feel sick reading 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 journey.
‘Again from the bottom of my heart. I’m sorry to anybody who had to read these tweets and was effected [sic] by them. ‘
In March, Jade admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, robbery, fraud and false imprisonment and was jailed for nine years with an extended licence period of three years.
The victim was strapped to an electrically powered chair by her ankles, knees, chest and arms, before she was tilted back, and the power was switched off.
Bradford Crown Court previously heard how her victim remained fixed in place for a few hours at their shared flat in Halifax while Jade used her card to withdraw £300 before later untying her.
The attacker was also convicted of rape in 1998 when identifying as a man.