Rowling's responses to proposed changes to UK gender recognition laws,[1][2][a] and her views on sex and gender, have provoked controversy.[5] Her statements have divided feminists;[6][7][8] fuelled debates on freedom of speech[9][10] and cancel culture;[11] and prompted declarations of support for transgender people from the literary,[12] arts[13] and culture sectors.[14]
When Maya Forstater's employment contract with the London branch of the Center for Global Development was not renewed after she tweeted gender-critical views,[15][16] Rowling responded in December 2019 with a tweet that transgender people should live their lives as they pleased in "peace and security", but questioned women being "force[d] out of their jobs for stating that sex is real".[16][b] In another controversial tweet in June 2020,[20] Rowling mocked an article for using the phrase "people who menstruate",[21] and tweeted that women's rights and "lived reality" would be "erased" if "sex isn't real".[22][23]
LGBT charities and leading actors of the Wizarding World franchise condemned Rowling's comments;[24][25][c] GLAAD called them "cruel" and "inaccurate".[31] Rowling responded with an essay on her website[32] in which she stated that her views on women's rights were informed by her experience as a survivor of domestic abuse and sexual assault.[33] While affirming that "the majority of trans-identified people not only pose zero threat to others, but are vulnerable ... Trans people need and deserve protection", she believed that it would be unsafe to allow "any man who believes or feels he's a woman" into bathrooms or changing rooms.[33][34][35] Writing of her own experiences with sexism and misogyny,[36] she wondered if the "allure of escaping womanhood" would have led her to transition if she had been born later, and said that trans activism was "seeking to erode 'woman' as a political and biological class".[37]
Rowling's statements – beginning in 2017[5][38][39] – have been called transphobic,[40][41] and she has been referred to as a TERF, a "trans-exclusionary radical feminist".[41][42][43] She has rejected these characterisations and the notion that she holds animosity towards transgender people, saying that her viewpoint has been misunderstood.[32][40][39] Criticism of Rowling's views has come from the Harry Potter fansites MuggleNet and The Leaky Cauldron;[44] and the charities Mermaids,[20] Stonewall,[45] and Human Rights Campaign.[1] After Kerry Kennedy expressed "profound disappointment" in her views, Rowling returned the Ripple of Hope Award given to her by the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organisation.[46]
After the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 had come into force in April 2024, Rowling, who resides in Edinburgh, tested the law by posting on X a list of transgender women, and wrote that they were "men, every last one of them".[47] Police Scotland stated it had not received any complaints over the posts[48] and that "no action [would] be taken" as they were not illegal.[49][50]
- ^ a b Milne, Amber; Savage, Rachel (11 June 2020). "Explainer: J. K. Rowling and trans women in single-sex spaces: what's the furore?". Reuters. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
- ^ Brooks, Libby (11 June 2020). "Why is JK Rowling speaking out now on sex and gender debate?". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
- ^ Pedersen 2022, Abstract.
- ^ Suissa & Sullivan 2021, pp. 66–69.
- ^ a b c Duggan 2021, PDF pp. 14–15 (160–161).
- ^ Kottasová, Ivana; Andrew, Scottie (20 December 2019). "J.K. Rowling's 'transphobia' tweet row spotlights a fight between equality campaigners and radical feminists". CNN. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
- ^ "JK Rowling responds to trans tweets criticism". BBC News. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
- ^ Ferber, Alona (22 September 2020). "Judith Butler on the culture wars, JK Rowling and living in 'anti-intellectual times'". New Statesman. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ^ Pape 2022, pp. 229–230.
- ^ "BBC nominates J.K.Rowling's controversial essay of trans rights for award". DW News. 22 December 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- ^ Schwirblat, Freberg & Freberg 2022, pp. 367–369.
- ^ UK, US, Canada, Ireland: Flood, Alison (9 October 2020). "Stephen King, Margaret Atwood and Roxane Gay champion trans rights in open letter". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ Rowley, Glenn (11 June 2020). "Artists fire back at J.K. Rowling's anti-trans remarks, share messages in support of the community". Billboard. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
- ^ Culture sector:
- Universal Destinations & Experiences, Warner Bros. and Scholastic Corporation: Siegel, Tatiana; Abramovitch, Seth (10 June 2020). "Universal Parks responds to J.K. Rowling tweets: 'Our core values include diversity, inclusion and respect'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
- Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment president: Skrebels, Joe (1 October 2020). "WB Interactive president responds to ongoing debate over supporting JK Rowling". IGN. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ Pugh 2020, p. 7.
- ^ a b Stack, Liam (19 December 2019). "J.K. Rowling criticized after tweeting support for anti-transgender researcher". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
- ^ Faulkner, Doug (10 June 2021). "Maya Forstater: woman wins tribunal appeal over transgender tweets". BBC News. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
- ^ Siddique, Haroon (10 June 2021). "Gender-critical views are a protected belief, appeal tribunal rules". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
- ^ "Maya Forstater: Woman discriminated against over trans tweets, tribunal rules". BBC. 6 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
- ^ a b Petter, Olivia (17 September 2020). "Mermaids writes open letter to JK Rowling following her recent comments on trans people". The Independent. Archived from the original on 15 June 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
- ^ Gross, Jenny (7 June 2020). "Daniel Radcliffe criticizes J.K. Rowling's anti-transgender tweets". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
- ^ Duggan 2021, PDF pp. 14–15.
- ^ Moreau, Jordan (6 June 2020). "J.K. Rowling gets backlash over anti-trans tweets". Variety. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
- ^ Waterson, Jim (23 July 2020). "Children's news website apologises to JK Rowling over trans tweet row". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
Rowling's comments on gender were condemned by LGBT charities and the leading stars of her Harry Potter film franchise.
- ^ a b Lang, Brent (10 June 2020). "Eddie Redmayne criticizes J.K. Rowling's anti-trans tweets". Variety. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
Eddie Redmayne, star of the Fantastic Beasts franchise, is speaking out against J.K. Rowling's anti-trans tweets, as the controversy surrounding the author and her beliefs continues to swirl.
- ^ a b Hibberd, James (17 March 2021). "Ralph Fiennes defends J.K. rowling amid trans controversy, says backlash is 'disturbing'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
- ^ Lenker, Maureen (10 June 2020). "Every Harry Potter actor who's spoken out against J.K. Rowling's controversial trans comments". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
- ^ Baska, Maggie (20 May 2021). "Stephen Fry defends 'friendship' with JK Rowling: 'I'm sorry that people are upset'". PinkNews. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
- ^ Evans, Greg. "Helena Bonham Carter says Johnny Depp 'completely vindicated' in defamation trial, and J.K. Rowling 'hounded' for transgender stance". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
- ^ Yasharoff, Hannah (30 December 2021). "How the 'Harry Potter' reunion addresses author J.K. Rowling's anti-trans controversy". USA Today. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ Yasharoff, Hannah (10 June 2020). "J.K. Rowling reveals she's a sexual assault survivor; Emma Watson reacts to trans comments". USA Today. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ a b "J.K. Rowling writes about her reasons for speaking out on sex and gender issues". JK Rowling. 10 June 2020. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ a b Shirbon, Estelle (10 June 2020). "J.K. Rowling reveals past abuse and defends right to speak on trans issues". Reuters. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
- ^ Gonzalez, Sandra (10 June 2020). "J.K. Rowling explains her gender identity views in essay amid backlash". CNN. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ Garrand, Danielle (11 June 2020). "J.K. Rowling defends herself after accusations of making "anti-trans" comments on Twitter". CBS News. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ Cain, Sian (11 June 2020). "JK Rowling reveals she is survivor of domestic abuse and sexual assault". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (10 June 2020). "J.K. Rowling defends trans statements in lengthy essay, reveals she's a sexual assault survivor & says 'trans people need and deserve protection'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
- ^ Jacobs, Julia (9 February 2023). "Hogwarts legacy can't cast aside debate over J. K. Rowling". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ a b Spangler, Todd (14 February 2023). "J.K. Rowling addresses backlash to her anti-trans comments in new podcast: 'I never set out to upset anyone'". Variety. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ a b Breznican, Anthony (12 April 2023). "J.K. Rowling will oversee a new streaming Harry Potter series". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ a b Rosenblatt, Kalhan (10 June 2020). "J.K. Rowling doubles down in what some critics call a 'transphobic manifesto'". NBC News. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
- ^ Steinfeld 2020, pp. 34–35.
- ^ Schwirblat, Freberg & Freberg 2022, pp. 367–368.
- ^ "Harry Potter fan sites distance themselves from JK Rowling over transgender rights". The Guardian. Reuters. 3 July 2020. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
- ^ Hinsliff, Gaby (3 November 2021). "The battle for Stonewall: the LGBT charity and the UK's gender wars". New Statesman. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
- ^ Flood, Alison (28 August 2020). "JK Rowling returns human rights award to group that denounces her trans views". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ "J.K. Rowling Mocks Trans Women To Defy Scotland's New Hate Crime Law: "I Look Forward To Being Arrested"". deadline.com. April 2024. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ Cook, James (1 April 2024). "JK Rowling in 'arrest me' challenge over hate crime law". BBC.
- ^ Bonar, Megan (2024-04-02). "JK Rowling hate law posts not criminal, police say". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
- ^ Learmonth, Andrew (2024-04-03). "Police Scotland will not log 'hate incident' against Rowling or FM". The Herald (Scotland). Retrieved 2024-04-03.
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