TERFs, Tweets, and Trans Critics

The promise we make to you at The Free Press is simple: we produce honest, fiercely independent journalism—with the quality once expected from the legacy press, but the fearlessness of the new.

It’s hard to think of a project that better fulfills that mission than The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling.

Since we launched the podcast late last month, it’s reached a bunch of milestones, including the top five most-listened to podcasts in the U.S. on Apple and Spotify, and the No. 1 most listened to in Apple’s Society and Culture category.

But more than those metrics, we’re deeply gratified to see the conversation it’s inspired.

Since we dropped the first episode, the podcast has generated over 140 articles, including in The New York Times, Times of London Radio, NewsNation, BBC Radio 4, and everywhere else you can think of.

It’s also sparked good-faith debate among listeners the world over, from Australia to Zimbabwe—and even podcast clubs. (Speaking of. . . if anyone here decides to organize a podcast club, our host Megan Phelps-Roper is all ears!)

In a discussion that is so often surrounded by toxicity, Witch Trials is blazing a path for real engagement among people on all sides of the conversation.

Also, we took out some billboards in the American city that felt apropos. . . 

The latest episodes of the show—TERF Wars (what is a TERF and why do so many despise them?); The Tweets (why did J.K. Rowling wade into the sex and gender firestorm?); and Natalie and Noah (in which transgender fans of Harry Potter share their criticism of J.K. Rowling)—speak directly to the most contentious subject in our culture: sex and gender.

You can binge the first six episodes now on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Or just click right here:

This podcast—and all of our work—is made possible by our subscribers. If you believe in what we do, please become a subscriber today:

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