Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jul 12, 2025

J.K. Rowling Followed Up Her Anti-Trans Tweets With A Full Anti-Trans Essay

J.K. Rowling Followed Up Her Anti-Trans Tweets With A Full Anti-Trans Essay

"The fear, ignorance, and callous cruelty underneath JK Rowling’s words are the same sentiments that lead to the murder and systemic destruction of black trans lives."

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling doubled down on her recent anti-trans comments, releasing an extensive statement about her fears of "current trans activism," which recycles dangerous anti-trans stereotypes and cliches.

On Wednesday, Rowling published the essay to her personal website, which she tweeted out with the phrase "TERF wars" - a reference to the supposed turf wars between trans activists and TERFs (or trans-exclusionary radical feminists) about "current trans activism."

In it, Rowling repeatedly writes about her belief in the importance of "biological sex," or the sex people are assigned at birth.

Noting the harrowing accounts she'd read by trans men about gender dysphoria, Rowling says, "if I’d been born 30 years later, I too might have tried to transition," as she had experienced mental health issues and struggled with her body as a teenager.

"The allure of escaping womanhood would have been huge," Rowling writes. "If I’d found community and sympathy online that I couldn’t find in my immediate environment, I believe I could have been persuaded to turn myself into the son my father had openly said he’d have preferred."

"Trans people need and deserve protection," Rowling adds, in one of many lines in which she makes clear she doesn't believe trans women are women. "Like women, they’re most likely to be killed by sexual partners."

Trans activists, writers, and organizations immediately expressed their horror at Rowling's comments.

Sarah McBride, a trans activist and press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, compared Rowling to Vice President Mike Pence, who is known to support anti-LGBTQ policies.


Journalist and activist Serena Daniari spoke out about Rowling's "dangerous, ill-informed views," and criticized her for "simultaneously denying our humanity & relentlessly attacking us."


Other activists called on people to donate to trans organizations.


Last December, Rowling tweeted her support for Maya Forstater, a woman who was fired for saying transgender women should not be legally recognized. Rowling's latest statement comes after major backlash over the weekend, when she tweeted a link to an article mocking the line "people who menstruate," which many pointed out was an anti-trans comment since many women don't menstruate (and some men do).


In her expanded statement on Wednesday, Rowling also revealed that she had been a victim of sexual assault and domestic abuse. She said this experience made her even more focused on biology, "out of solidarity with the huge numbers of women who have histories like mine, who’ve been slurred as bigots for having concerns around single-sex spaces."

Bathrooms have been one of the biggest trans issues politically, with multiple US states and counties trying to ban access to single-sex public restrooms in order to limit the rights of trans people.

Rowling also argued that people should use the bathroom of the sex they were assigned at birth, even if statistically it is trans people who are more likely to be assaulted or attacked in a bathroom setting.

"So I want trans women to be safe," the author wrote. "At the same time, I do not want to make natal girls and women less safe. When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he’s a woman – and, as I’ve said, gender confirmation certificates may now be granted without any need for surgery or hormones – then you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside."

But gender confirmation certificates aren't so easily granted in the UK. Applicants for the certificate must be over 18, diagnosed with gender dysphoria (and provide medical evidence from a doctor or psychologist), have lived as that gender for at least two years, and intend to live in it “for the rest of your life.”

Single-sex bathrooms were first introduced into US society because of historical beliefs that women should not be entirely integrated into society and were biologically inferior to men.

Rowling's recent anti-trans comments resulted in actor Daniel Radcliffe, who played Harry Potter in the famous films, releasing a statement saying, "Transgender women are women."

“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,” he added.

His fellow Harry Potter costar, Emma Watson, also pushed back in a tweet on Wednesday, saying, "Trans people are who they say they are."


Fantastic Beasts star Eddie Redmayne also spoke out against Rowling's anti-trans tweets.

"As someone who has worked with both J.K. Rowling and members of the trans community," Redmayne said, "I wanted to make it absolutely clear where I stand. I disagree with Jo’s comments. Trans women are women, trans men are men and non-binary identities are valid."

In her Wednesday letter, Rowling spoke out against the criticism she's received. She said she won't stop talking about her anti-trans comments because she believes she is helping women.

"It would be so much easier to tweet the approved hashtags – because of course trans rights are human rights and of course trans lives matter – scoop up the woke cookies and bask in a virtue-signalling afterglow. There’s joy, relief and safety in conformity," she wrote.

However, Jen Richards, the Mrs. Fletcher and Tales of the City star and trans activist, wrote about the frustrations of Rowling's anti-trans comments at a time when the world's political focus is on the Black Lives Matter movement.


“The fear, ignorance, and callous cruelty underneath JK Rowling’s words are the same sentiments that lead to the murder and systemic destruction of black trans lives," Richards wrote.


“But all white women have a choice right now: aggressively defend a narrow, exclusionary concept of manhood that is fundamentally and irrevocably racist, or commit wholly to dismantling white supremacy," Richards added. "JK Rowling, like many white women, has chosen the former.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
×