Rowling's remarks on transgender day spark backlash anew

J.K. Rowling became famous as the author of "Harry Potter," but she is now best known for her highly controversial activities on the platform X. The writer is widely recognized as a TERF, a radical feminist who does not acknowledge the rights of transgender people. Her rigid views have led many individuals, including the original cast of Warner Bros. films, such as Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, to distance themselves from her.

Besides transphobia, Rowling is also accused of latent homophobia, which manifested in her mentioning Dumbledore's sexuality only outside the main plot of the books and films and in her criticism of Matthew Lewis (the film's Neville Longbottom) for posing for a men's magazine. Adding to this, "Harry Potter" fans openly discuss the stereotyping of non-white characters.

The writer occasionally reveals that she still holds conservative views and is not open to discussion. Recently, she commented rather distastefully on a post published by the City Council of Edinburgh commemorating Transgender Day of Remembrance.

"Really looking forward to the day a flag is flown for Scottish victims of femicide, but sure, let's hear the list of trans people who've been murdered in Scotland. Ever," wrote J.K. Rowling on X.

The writer referred to information provided by the City Council of Edinburgh about the celebration of Transgender Day of Remembrance. On this occasion, a distinctive flag was flown at the town hall "to remember those who lost their lives due to violence because of their gender identity."

J.K. Rowling's entry is highly problematic, even if it doesn't seem so at first glance. The writer undermines the significance of the violence experienced by transgender people in a dreadful way. This violence often affects very young people—teenagers and young adults—who struggle with these challenges and may choose to take drastic actions, including taking their own lives. According to the stophateuk.org website, 88 percent of transgender individuals do not report the violence they experience. In 2020/2021, the most frequently reported cases of transphobic behavior in the United Kingdom included verbal abuse, threats, antisocial behaviors like shouting slurs, asking invasive or inappropriate questions, and harassment from neighbors, colleagues, or strangers.