J.K. Rowling tears apart sexist, anti-semitic column about gender pay gap
J.K. Rowling has hit back at the Sunday Times Ireland after it published a sexist and anti-semitic column about the BBC's gender pay gap.
In a column entitled "Sorry, ladies -- equal pay has to be earned," columnist Kevin Myers suggested it was no coincidence two of the BBC's best-paid female presenters, Claudia Winkleman and Vanessa Feltz, were Jewish. Myers also stated the reason behind the gender pay gap is because men "work harder," "are more driven," and "seldom get pregnant."
"Women and Jews quite literally deserve what they get," tweeted Rowling alongside an image of the print version of the article.
"This filth was published in the Sunday Times. Let that sink in for a moment," she added.
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The article, which sparked widespread controversy, has since been deleted from the Sunday Times website. Myers has been sacked by the publication, and an apology has been issued by the publication's editor.
"The comments in a column by Kevin Myers in today's Irish edition of the Sunday Times were unacceptable and should not have been published. It has been taken down and we sincerely apologize both for the remarks and the error of judgment that led to publication," Sunday Times editor Martin Ivens said in a statement.
Topics JK Rowling Celebrities Identities
Rachel Thompson is the Features Editor at Mashable. Rachel's second non-fiction book The Love Fix: Reclaiming Intimacy in a Disconnected World is out now, published by Penguin Random House in Jan. 2025. The Love Fix explores why dating feels so hard right now, why we experience difficult emotions in the realm of love, and how we can change our dating culture for the better.
A leading sex and dating writer in the UK, Rachel has written for GQ, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Style, The Telegraph, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Stylist, ELLE, The i Paper, Refinery29, and many more.
Rachel's first book Rough: How Violence Has Found Its Way Into the Bedroom And What We Can Do About It, a non-fiction investigation into sexual violence was published by Penguin Random House in 2021.
