Celebrities continue to condemn Rowling’s anti-trans stance
J.K. Rowling has fired back after several stars from the Harry Potter universe signed an open letter supporting trans rights.
The letter, signed by hundreds of U.K. entertainment figures—including Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan and Babygirl’s Harris Dickinson—called for better protections for the trans and non-binary community following a controversial Supreme Court ruling that defined women based on biological sex.
But it was the involvement of Harry Potter alums like Eddie Redmayne (Fantastic Beasts), Katie Leung (Cho Chang), and Paapa Essiedu (HBO’s new Snape) that drew Rowling’s ire.
In a lengthy, rambling X post, Rowling—who previously praised the court’s decision—doubled down on her anti-trans rhetoric, dismissing the idea that “humans can change sex” and accusing signatories of virtue-signaling.
She called out “back-stabbing colleagues” and quoted George Orwell (ironic, given her own 1984-esque views), labeling trans inclusivity a “harmless little white lie.”
The rant was just the latest in Rowling’s ongoing crusade, proving she’s still more invested in fighting progress than embracing the magic of acceptance.
This isn’t the first time stars have pushed back against Rowling’s controversial views.
After she celebrated the Supreme Court ruling with a smug cigar photo, SNL’s Bowen Yang bluntly told her to “f- you,” while Coughlan declared she “wouldn’t touch [the Harry Potter reboot] with a ten-foot pole.”
Despite the backlash, HBO’s Potter series charges ahead, with Essiedu joining a star-studded cast including John Lithgow as Dumbledore and Nick Frost as Hagrid.
But as Rowling digs in her heels, it’s clear the real magic lies in the voices standing up for trans rights—not in the fading spells of a writer out of step with the times.
