this post was submitted on 05 Dec 2023
229 points (78.4% liked)
Showerthoughts
29786 readers
586 users here now
A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.
Rules
- All posts must be showerthoughts
- The entire showerthought must be in the title
- Avoid politics
- 3.1) NEW RULE as of 5 Nov 2024, trying it out
- 3.2) Political posts often end up being circle jerks (not offering unique perspective) or enflaming (too much work for mods).
- 3.3) Try c/politicaldiscussion, volunteer as a mod here, or start your own community.
- Posts must be original/unique
- Adhere to Lemmy's Code of Conduct
founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
JK Rowling also writes as Robert Galbraith.
Does that qualify as irony?
Like Rafael Cruz’s proposal that everyone else must use their given name, TERFs have rules for thee not for me.
Irony of the subtype heavy.
In case people don't know, JK Rowling's pen name is a reference to Robert Galbraith Heath, a psychiatrist who experimented with gay conversion therapy in the 60s and 70s using surgically implanted electrodes on gay men's brains. He claims to have "cured" one of them. He did lots of other fucked up things too, and of course Rowling denies her pen name has anything to do with him. FWIW, she also claims she's not a bigot, but her words and actions clearly indicate otherwise.
Unless thats some conservative dog whistle I don't know about, (and I'm no JKR apologist) your statement directly contradicts her own official answer as to the origin of the name:
Why the name Robert Galbraith?
source
What’s wrong with LAG other than computer lag?
It’s British slang for a convict or prison term. It’s not very common now, but “old lag” used to mean a habitual criminal. No idea of the etymology though - maybe related to a lag (in time)?
I don't see how. The initials JKR dont appear anywhere in there, is there something Im missing?
Can you think of another author who uses JK before their surname? It would have been a pretty big hint as soon as people realised JK Galbraith didn’t exist.
None, but it still feels like someone wanted to add to her list of crimes. Like is he famous? Is it likely she knew of some random scientist before she came up with the pen name?
Plus her name is literally Joanne Rowling. She already had one initial.
Sorry, I confused myself and thought you were replying to a later comment - I thought you were asking how people would have guessed JK Rowling and JK Galbraith were the same person.
I think it’s fair to say Robert Galbraith-Heath is an (in)famous psychiatrist. I remember his name from my student days. As for her purposely using the name of a conversion therapist as a pen name in order to… be more homophobic? That seems like a bit of a leap to me, but idk her bigoted views in any real depth tbh.
And I looked up the other name before I realised I’d confused myself and found there was a famous JK Galbraith too, according to wikipedia He sounds like a bit of a dick too. Sorry for the confusion, I need sleep.
No worries, I do the same thing sometimes. I hope you sleep well!