Various celebrities have come out in defense of author JK Rowling after it was speculated that she could be arrested after a new hate-crime law was introduced in Scotland.
Before authoring any of the Harry Potter novels that would eventually establish her as a household name and make her one of the wealthiest people in the United Kingdom, English-born Rowling moved to Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, in the 1990s.
She has gained notoriety in more recent years for expressing her contentious opinions on transgender people, which some LGBTQ+ activists have labeled as “transphobic,” a term Rowling has always refuted.
But regardless of her perception about the matter, a minister of the ruling Scottish National Party (SNP) has stated that some of her comments, including deliberately labeling someone by the incorrect gender, could land her in hot water under Scotland’s new Hate Crime and Public Order Act.
Siobhian Brown, the minister for victims and community safety, told The Daily Telegraph that, for example, calling a transgender woman “he,” instead of by the pronouns which align with their gender identity, could be considered a criminal offense.
However, Police Scotland has since said in a statement that the author’s social media posts about transgender people are not being treated as criminal. “We have received complaints in relation to the social media post. The comments are not assessed to be criminal and no further action will be taken,” said a spokesperson.
Rowling has criticized the new law in a slew of posts on X, formerly Twitter. While some people online have denounced Rowling’s view, some famous faces have supported the author.
A representative for Rowling declined to comment when approached by Newsweek via email on Wednesday.
Jordan Peterson
One person who has defended Rowling is Jordan Peterson, a clinical psychologist and cultural critic who has garnered attention for his controversial views on gender, identity, and political correctness.
Peterson shared one of Rowling’s recent posts where she criticized transgender activist Beth Douglas. The author shared screenshots of past posts from Douglas, in which she held an axe and a knife, along with the caption: “I heard yall hate trans women, knives and axes. Love from Glasgow.”
Douglas was suspended from the Scottish Green Party in February 2023 over the posts but was later reinstated.
“Scotland’s Hate Crime Act comes into effect today,” Rowling wrote alongside the screenshots on Monday. “Women gain no additional protections, of course, but well-known trans activist Beth Douglas, darling of prominent Scottish politicians, falls within a protected category. Phew!”
Peterson reposted Rowling’s tweet and added: “What in the world has happened in Scotland? Keep it up @jk_rowling. Let the fools have both barrels.”
What in the world has happened in Scotland?
Keep it up @jk_rowling
Let the fools have both barrels. https://t.co/fetZUZnUtm
— Dr Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) April 2, 2024
At the time of writing, Peterson’s post had received more than 605,900 views.
Like Rowling, Peterson has come under fire for his remarks about transgender people.
The Canadian psychologist was suspended from X in 2022 after he deadnamed transgender actor Elliot Page. Page came out as a trans man on social media in 2020, revealing his new name and “he/his” and “they/them” pronouns.
Peterson also caused uproar after he misgendered YouTuber Jazz Jennings.
Caitlyn Jenner
Reality star and former Olympic athlete Caitlyn Jenner shared a post to X on Tuesday in which she called Rowling’s possible arrest “absurd.”
“JK Rowling facing arrest for ‘misgendering’ … absurd!” Jenner wrote in a post with 100,000 views. “This has gone way too far! You can ‘respect’ people’s pronouns or not. We cannot force or coerce this type of speech with the threats of jail time.”
Jenner came out as a transgender woman in 2015 but has caused controversy with her desire to bar transgender people from competing in sports and prohibiting the teaching of gender identity in schools.
JK Rowling facing arrest for ‘misgendering’ … absurd! This has gone way too far! You can ‘respect’ people’s pronouns or not. We cannot force or coerce this type of speech with the threats of jail time. Great convo with you @MariaBartiromo
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) April 2, 2024
Megyn Kelly
Megyn Kelly has offered to be Rowling’s voice if she thinks she is being silenced by the new law introduced in Scotland.
The former Fox host shared the same post of Rowling’s as Peterson and added her own two cents.
“Hey @jk_rowling & any Scot—whatever true fact you need said about the gender cult, just shoot me a note and I will say it on the air on my show to millions,” she wrote.
“Scotland can’t imprison those of us on this side of the pond; (for now) we still have free speech in America, which is why I can say: Men cannot become women. Hes are not shes. Those surgical wounds are not vaginas. Facial feminization will never make a man female. Men who play women’s sports are vile cheaters. Men do not belong in women’s bathrooms, locker rooms, sororities, prisons or OBGYN offices. Men cannot have babies. Chest feeding is child abuse.”
At the time of writing the post had been viewed 862,300 times.
Kelly also spoke about the news on her program The Megyn Kelly Show, where she warned that the U.S. is following the same path, saying “far too many blue states are coming dangerously close to Scotland.”
Hey @jk_rowling & any Scot – whatever true fact you need said about the gender cult, just shoot me a note and I will say it on the air on my show to millions. Scotland can’t imprison those of us on this side of the pond; (for now) we still have free speech in America, which is… https://t.co/34bCuOdK8m
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) April 2, 2024
Rishi Sunak
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak backed Rowling in her criticism of the new law.
“People should not be criminalized for stating simple facts on biology,” Sunak said in a statement shared with The Telegraph. “We believe in free speech in this country, and Conservatives will always protect it.”
Backlash Against Rowling
While some may defend Rowling’s views, others have disagreed with the author over the years.
One person who supported the new bill in Scotland and has often sparred with Rowling on X is transgender TV newsreader India Willoughby, who recently threatened the author with legal action over her comments. She questioned why the gender component of the law was attracting so much attention and debate.
“Why is this law being presented as ‘controversial’ by British Media? Scotland opposes hate? Wow. What’s telling is that while the new laws also apply to Race and Religion, it’s ONLY the fact that transphobic abuse could be stopped that’s attracting criticism,” she wrote on X.
Rowling first caused controversy with her views on transgender people in 2018, when she “accidentally” liked a tweet that called transwomen “men in dresses.”
In 2019, Rowling received further backlash for supporting Maya Forstater, a British researcher who was fired after making anti-trans statements.
“Dress however you please. Call yourself whatever you like. Sleep with any consenting adult who’ll have you. Live your best life in peace and security. But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real?” Rowling said on social media at the time.
After the author shared more posts hitting out at transgender people, Harry Potter actors Daniel Radcliffe, Bonnie Wright, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson—who played Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione in the movies—denounced Rowling, with the writer not included in the 2022 Harry Potter Reunion Special.
