J.K. Rowling’s controversial comments about trans people (including “if sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased”) has led to years of backlash for the Harry Potter author. The resulting criticism also sourced from franchise star Daniel Radcliffe, who voiced disagreement with Rowling’s outlook. Likewise, Fantastic Beasts actor Eddie Redmayne, followed suit. Rowling’s publisher, Hatchette UK also felt the strain when employees threatened to stop working on a newer Rowling title, and several authors fled Rowling’s agency out of protest against Rowling’s stance against trans rights.
Let’s just say that there are no winners in J.K. Rowling’s ongoing beef with the trans community, and she’s remained unapologetic, even penning a lengthy essay to claim that “accusations of TERFery have been sufficient to intimidate many people” while detailing “five reasons” why “the new trans activism” worries her. Fast forward over a year, and Rowling has come forward to slam activists who posted photos of themselves in front of her family home. Rowling believes that they were “carefully positioning themselves to ensure that our address was visible.”
Last Friday, my family’s address was posted on Twitter by three activist actors who took pictures of themselves in front of our house, carefully positioning themselves to ensure that our address was visible. 1/8
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 22, 2021
In a Twitter thread, Rowling thanked Scottish police and Twitter for providing support to her while she worked to get the images removed from the Internet. She further spoke about other women who share her view on trans activism, and Rowling condemns any doxxing action against them. The author claims that these women have been “subject to campaigns of intimidation” that include threats and doxxing, and she adds, “None of these women are protected in the way I am.” Rowling further revealed, “I’ve now received so many death threats I could paper the house with them, and I haven’t stopped speaking out.” She then declared, “Perhaps – and I’m just throwing this out there – the best way to prove your movement isn’t a threat to women, is to stop stalking, harassing and threatening us.”
You can read Rowling’s Twitter thread below.
I want to say a massive thank you to everybody who reported the image to @TwitterSupport. Your kindness and decency made all the difference to my family and me. I’d also like to thank @PoliceScotland for their support and assistance in this matter. 2/8
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 22, 2021
I implore those people who retweeted the image with the address still visible, even if they did so in condemnation of these people’s actions, to delete it. 3/8
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 22, 2021
but who’ve contacted me to relate their experiences, have been subject to campaigns of intimidation which range from being hounded on social media, the targeting of their employers, all the way up to doxing and direct threats of violence, including rape. 5/8
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 22, 2021
None of these women are protected in the way I am. They and their families have been put into a state of fear and distress for no other reason than that they refuse to uncritically accept that the socio-political concept of gender identity should replace that of sex. 6/8
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 22, 2021
I’ve now received so many death threats I could paper the house with them, and I haven’t stopped speaking out. Perhaps – and I’m just throwing this out there – the best way to prove your movement isn’t a threat to women, is to stop stalking, harassing and threatening us. 8/X
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 22, 2021