JK Rowling and the tweet that changed the trans debate

Today marks five years since the Harry Potter author first took on the scourge of gender ideology.

Five years ago today, a single tweet transfigured JK Rowling from beloved children’s author into the internet’s No1 hate figure.

In 2019, the Harry Potter author decided to tweet out her support for Maya Forstater, the researcher who was forced out of her job at a think-tank because of her gender-critical beliefs. Rowling’s own trans-sceptical leanings had been suspected for a while at this point. But now, for the first time, she was making her position plain:

‘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?’

She signed off the post with the hashtag, #IStandWithMaya.

Any sane person would think that this is an entirely reasonable, liberal thing to say. And yet this single inoffensive tweet kicked off a deranged campaign of harassment against her. This was compounded by another tweet she wrote a few months later, mocking the silliness of ‘trans inclusive’ phrases like ‘people who menstruate’. In response, the very people who like to think of themselves as ‘kind’, ‘compassionate’ and ‘progressive’ flocked to send her abuse and threats, and to tell her they planned on burning her books. Trans activists even turned up outside her home to intimidate her.

As I explained in a video polemic for spiked earlier this year, what made matters worse is that the cultural elite joined in the pile-on.

In a matter of months, Rowling came to be seen as a real-life Voldemort. The actors she made famous shunned her. Her name was removed from museums, schools and movie trailers.

The irony, of course, is that Rowling has never once said anything remotely hateful, prejudiced or offensive towards trans people. In fact, she has repeatedly reiterated her belief that all people are worthy of respect, no matter how they ‘identify’. She isn’t interested in stripping anyone of their rights or spreading hate, as her detractors claim. She simply cares about protecting women, children and free speech.

Rowling showed incredible bravery in standing up to the mob those years ago – and for refusing to capitulate and be quiet ever since. They may have branded her a witch, but she refused to be burned.