Judy Blume has made a statement claiming her quotes in the Sunday Times in support of J.K. Rowling were taken out of context. “I am behind her 100% as I watch from afar,†Blume said in the Times. Writer Hadley Freeman said Blume was saying this “referring to the abuse Rowling has received for speaking up in defense of women’s sex-based rights,†but according to Blume, that’s not correct. “I wholly support the trans community,†Blume shared. “My point, which was taken out of context, is that I can empathize with a writer — or person — who has been harassed online. I stand with the trans community and vehemently disagree with anyone who does not fully support equality and acceptance for LGBTQIA+ people. Anything to the contrary is total bullshit.†Blume pointed to a recent Variety interview, in which she praised Maia Kobabe’s memoir Gender Queer and literature’s power to help people empathize with experiences other than their own. “This young person is telling me how they came to be what they are today,†she said. “And I learned a lot and became even more empathetic. That’s what books are all about.â€