What's happening?

"Freedom of speechThe right to say, write and communicate thoughts and ideas without fear of censorship or reprisal. and belief are at an end in ScotlandA country that is part of the United Kingdom. It covers the northern part of the island of Great Britain. ". This was the writer JK RowlingThe author of the Harry Potter series. 's response to a new lawA rule that everyone must follow. on hate speech in her country, Scotland.

JK Rowling is known around the world for her books about Harry Potter the boy wizard. But in the UK, she is also known for her belief that transgenderSomeone whose gender identity (what they feel inside) does not match the gender identity they were assigned at birth (based on their biology). women should not be allowed to use women's services.

On Monday she put a message on social media, using male pronounsA word referring to a person and functioning as a noun, such as he/him or she/her. While these are the two most common sets of pronouns, some people prefer non-gendered terms like they/them or xe/xyr. to refer to several transgender women. She then challenged the police to arrestStopped by (usually the police) and not allowed to leave. her if doing so was now against the law.

What is new about the Act? "Stirring up hatred" against vulnerable people was always illegalAgainst the law.. However, the new Scottish law makes it easier to convict people of this.

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Supporters of the law say it takes free speech into account. But others worry that people will not be able to talk about important issues.

Are hate laws going too far?

Yes! We need to have some hate speech laws. But people must also be free to speak their minds and debateA discussion about a subject in which people explain or argue their different points of view. important topics.

No! The laws are simply protecting some of the most vulnerable people in society. They do not affect people's right to speak freely.