The Harry Potter writer has long been embroiled in controversy for her views. Photo / Getty Images
The Harry Potter writer has long been embroiled in controversy for her views. Photo / Getty Images
JK Rowling would “happily” go to jail over her anti-trans views.
The Harry Potter writer, 58, has been embroiled in controversy for years after she started making statements about the trans community from 2017, when she liked a tweet condemning the transgender rights movement – leading to her being subjected to death threats over her opinions on the issue.
She has now posted a photo on X that had the statement: “Repeat after us: Trans women are women” – along with her caption: “No.”
One of her followers then encouraged people to “vote” for the Labour Party following reports they want to make gender identity attacks a criminal offence punishable by up to two years behind bars.
It prompted Rowling – who also writes under the male pseudonym Robert Galbraith – to say: “I’ll happily do two years if the alternative is compelled speech and forced denial of the reality and importance of sex.”
The author then joked about what potential jobs she could work while in jail, saying: “Hoping for the library, obviously, but I think I could do ok in the kitchens.”
She added: “Laundry might be a problem. I have a tendency to shrink stuff/turn it pink accidentally. Guessing that won’t be a major issue if it’s mostly scrubs and sheets, though.”
In 2018, a year after her first transgender storm, Rowling again caused controversy by liking another tweet claiming trans women were just “men in dresses”.
Despite claiming it was just an accident, the writer found herself in hot water once again at the end of 2019 when she defended a woman who was fired from her job for tweeting “men cannot change into women”.
Rowling has since become extremely outspoken about her views on the trans community, sparking backlash from the cast of the Harry Potter films.
Daniel Radcliffe, JK Rowling, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint at the world premiere of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Photo / Getty Images
In June 2020, Daniel Radcliffe, 34, who played Harry Potter in the franchise, posted a long essay on The Trevor Project website after feeling “compelled” to speak out given his close ties to the franchise.
Referring to Rowling by her first name Joanne, he added: “Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I.”
Radcliffe went on to apologise for the “pain” Rowling’s comments may have caused any fans, adding the Harry Potter books were supposed to prove “love is the strongest force in the universe, capable of overcoming anything”.
He said: “If you believe that a particular character is trans, nonbinary, or gender fluid, or that they are gay or bisexual; if you found anything in these stories that resonated with you and helped you at any time in your life — then that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred.”
Rowling posted her own long essay defending her comments.
