Editing J. K. Rowling (section)

== Views ==
Rowling was actively engaged on the internet before author webpages were common.{{sfn|Salter|Stanfill|2020|pp=41–42}} She has used [[Twitter]] to reach her ''Harry Potter'' fans and followers.{{sfn|Schwirblat|Freberg|Freberg|2022|p=367}}{{sfn|Salter|Stanfill|2020|p=43}}

=== Politics ===
{{Main|Political views of J. K. Rowling}}
{{See also|Politics of Harry Potter{{!}}Politics of ''Harry Potter''}}
In 2008, Rowling donated £1&nbsp;million to the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]], endorsed the Labour prime minister [[Gordon Brown]] over his [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] challenger [[David Cameron]], and commended Labour's policies on child poverty.<ref>{{cite news|title=Harry Potter author JK Rowling gives £1&nbsp;million to Labour|first=Ben|last=Leach|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/3021309/Harry-Potter-author-JK-Rowling-gives-1-million-to-Labour.html|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|access-date=13 June 2020|date=20 September 2008 |url-access=registration|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920115952/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/3021309/Harry-Potter-author-JK-Rowling-gives-1-million-to-Labour.html|archive-date=20 September 2008}}</ref> In June 2024, she wrote that she had a "poor opinion" of [[Keir Starmer]] and that it would be hard for her to vote for Labour.<ref>{{cite news |first= Brian |last= Wheeler |title= JK Rowling accuses Labour of abandoning women|date= 22 June 2024 |url= https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cndd65k06x8o |access-date= 24 July 2024 |publisher= [[BBC News]]}}</ref> When asked about the [[2008 United States presidential election]], she stated that "it is a pity that [[Hillary Clinton|Clinton]] and [[Barack Obama|Obama]] have to be rivals because both are extraordinary."{{sfn|Cruz|2008}}

In her "Single mother's manifesto" published in ''[[The Times]]'' in 2010, Rowling criticised the prime minister David Cameron's plan to offer married couples an annual tax credit. She thought that the proposal discriminated against single parents, whose interests the Conservative Party failed to consider.{{sfn|Richards|2017|pp=316–317}} Rowling opposed the [[2014 Scottish independence referendum]], due to concerns about the economic consequences, and donated £1&nbsp;million to the [[Better Together (campaign)|Better Together]] anti-independence campaign.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Carrell|first1=Severin|date=11 June 2014|title=JK Rowling donates £1m to Scotland's anti-independence campaign|work=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jun/11/jk-rowling-donates-scotland-anti-independence-campaign|url-status=live|access-date=11 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611101447/http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jun/11/jk-rowling-donates-scotland-anti-independence-campaign|archive-date=11 June 2014}}</ref> She campaigned for the UK to stay in the [[European Union]] in the [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum]]. She defined herself as an internationalist, "the mongrel product of this European continent",{{sfn|Pugh|2020|p=6}} and expressed concern that "racists and bigots" were directing parts of the Leave campaign.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/eu-referendum-brexit-remain-who-do-celebrities-support-david-beckham-jk-rowling-a7094751.html|title=People's vote: Steve Coogan, Patrick Stewart and Delia Smith among famous faces marching for second Brexit referendum|work=[[The Independent]]|last=O'Connor|first=Roisin|date=23 March 2019|access-date=13 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181027024833/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/eu-referendum-brexit-remain-who-do-celebrities-support-david-beckham-jk-rowling-a7094751.html|archive-date=27 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

She opposed Israeli prime minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]], but refused to support a [[Boycotts of Israel|cultural boycott of Israel]] in 2015, believing that depriving Israelis of shared culture would not dislodge him.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Flood|first=Alison|date=27 October 2015|title=JK Rowling explains refusal to join cultural boycott of Israel|url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/27/jk-rowling-explains-refusal-to-join-cultural-boycott-of-israel|access-date=6 January 2022|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> In 2015, Rowling joined 150 others in signing a letter published in ''The Guardian'' in favour of cultural engagement with Israel.<ref>{{cite news|title=Israel needs cultural bridges, not boycotts – letter from JK Rowling, Simon Schama and others|work=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/22/israel-needs-cultural-bridges-not-boycotts-letter-from-jk-rowling-simon-schama-and-others|access-date=23 October 2015|date=22 October 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151022235926/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/22/israel-needs-cultural-bridges-not-boycotts-letter-from-jk-rowling-simon-schama-and-others|archive-date=22 October 2015}}</ref>

=== Press ===
Rowling has a difficult relationship with the press and has tried to influence the type of coverage she receives.{{Sfn|Salter|Stanfill|2020|p=48}} She described herself in 2003 as "too thin-skinned".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Treneman|first1=Ann|date=20 June 2003|title=I'm not writing for the money: It's for me and out of loyalty to fans|work=[[The Times]]|id={{ProQuest|318891545}}; {{Gale|IF0501604890}}}}</ref> As of 2011, she had taken more than 50&nbsp;actions against the press.<ref name=holiday>{{cite news|title=Leveson inquiry: JK Rowling and Sienna Miller give evidence|first1=Lisa|last1=O'Carroll|first2=Josh|last2=Halliday|work=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/nov/24/leveson-inquiry-jk-rowling-sienna-miller-live|access-date=22 September 2012|date=24 November 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810190349/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/nov/24/leveson-inquiry-jk-rowling-sienna-miller-live|archive-date=10 August 2014}}</ref> Rowling dislikes the British tabloid the ''[[Daily Mail]]'',<ref>{{cite news|last1=Lockerbie|first1=Catherine|title=All aboard the Hogwarts express|date=11 July 2000|page=2|work=[[The Scotsman]]|id={{ProQuest|326828580}}}}</ref> which she successfully sued in 2014 for libel about her time as a single mother.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Daily Mail pays damages to JK Rowling|publisher=[[BBC News]]|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27312080|date=7 May 2014|access-date=24 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200318014908/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27312080|archive-date=18 March 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Leveson Inquiry]] into the British press named Rowling as a "core participant" in 2011. She was one of many celebrities alleged to have been victims of [[phone hacking]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Leveson phone-hacking inquiry: JK Rowling among 'core participants'|first=Lisa|last=O'Carroll|work=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/sep/14/leveson-phone-hacking-inquiry-jk-rowling|access-date=24 September 2011|date=14 September 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140604135926/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/sep/14/leveson-phone-hacking-inquiry-jk-rowling|archive-date=4 June 2014}}</ref> The following year she criticised Cameron's decision not to implement all the inquiry's recommendations and supported the Hacked Off campaign, pushing for stricter media reform.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Smith-Spark |first1=Laura |title=Author J.K. Rowling feels 'duped' by Cameron over hacking inquiry |url=https://www.cnn.com/2012/12/01/world/europe/uk-rowling-hacking-inquiry/index.html |access-date=23 July 2024 |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=1 December 2012}}</ref><ref name=Duped>{{cite news|title=I feel duped and angry at David Cameron's reaction to Leveson|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/nov/30/jk-rowling-duped-angry-david-cameron-leveson|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=3 December 2012|first=JK|last=Rowling|date=30 November 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130913014433/http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/nov/30/jk-rowling-duped-angry-david-cameron-leveson|archive-date=13 September 2013}}</ref>

=== Transgender people ===
{{Main|Political views of J. K. Rowling#Transgender people}}
Rowling has [[gender-critical]] views,<ref>{{cite web | last1=Sanderson | first1=Daniel | last2=Bolton | first2=Will | title=Edinburgh Fringe venue threatens to pull play about JK Rowling's trans rows | publisher= [[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] | date=23 June 2024 | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/06/23/edinburgh-fringe-threatens-pull-jk-rowling-play/ | access-date=27 June 2024}}</ref> and she opposes many proposed laws that would make it simpler for transgender people to [[gender transition|transition]].<ref name= Milne2020>{{cite web|first1= Amber |last1=Milne|first2 = Rachel| last2 =Savage | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-lgbt-rowling-explainer-trfn-idUSKBN23I3AI | title=Explainer: J. K. Rowling and trans women in single-sex spaces: what's the furore? | publisher=[[Reuters]] | date=11 June 2020 | access-date=6 April 2021 }}</ref><ref name= Brooks2020>{{Cite news|last=Brooks|first=Libby|date=11 June 2020|title=Why is JK Rowling speaking out now on sex and gender debate? |url= http://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jun/11/why-is-jk-rowling-speaking-out-now-on-sex-and-gender-debate|access-date=14 January 2022 |work= [[The Guardian]] }}</ref><ref name=Kottasova2019>{{cite news |title=  J.K. Rowling's 'transphobia' tweet row spotlights a fight between equality campaigners and radical feminists |first1= Ivana |last1= Kottasová |first2= Scottie |last2= Andrew |publisher= [[CNN]] |date= 20 December 2019|url= https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/20/uk/jk-rowling-transgender-explainer-intl-gbr/index.html |access-date= 5 May 2024}}</ref> Her views are often described as transphobic or anti-trans,<ref name="Rowley 2020">{{cite magazine|last= Rowley |first= Glenn |title= Artists fire back at J.K. Rowling's anti-trans remarks, share messages in support of the community|url= https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/artists-fire-back-jk-rowling-anti-trans-remarks-9400386/|magazine= [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date= 11 June 2020 |access-date= 7 April 2022}}</ref>{{sfn|Whited|2024|loc= p. 7. "But in June 2020, Rowling's manifesto led some people to label her as a trans-exclusionary radical feminist (TERF), a term first used in 2008 that has more recently evolved as 'gender critical'."}}{{sfn|Steinfeld|2020|loc= pp. 34–35. "Just ask JK Rowling and other women who have been labelled as Terfs"}}{{sfn|Schwirblat|Freberg|Freberg|2022|loc= pp. 367–368. "This sparked a heated discussion within the Twitter community, one side buttressing Rowling's statements, and the other espousing her as a trans-exclusionary radical feminist (TERF)"}} though Rowling disputes this.<ref name=RowlingReasons>{{cite web|title=J.K. Rowling writes about her reasons for speaking out on sex and gender issues |url=https://www.jkrowling.com/opinions/j-k-rowling-writes-about-her-reasons-for-speaking-out-on-sex-and-gender-issues/ |publisher=JK Rowling |date=10 June 2020 |access-date=10 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610182056/https://www.jkrowling.com/opinions/j-k-rowling-writes-about-her-reasons-for-speaking-out-on-sex-and-gender-issues/ |archive-date=10 June 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name= Dismisses>{{cite news |title= JK Rowling dismisses backlash over trans comments: 'I don't care about my legacy' |date= 22 February 2023|url= https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-64729304 |publisher= [[BBC News]] |access-date= 3 May 2024}}</ref> In 2024, ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' wrote that Rowling had "made her campaign against trans identity the central focus of her online persona".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vary |first1=Adam B. |title=HBO says 'Harry Potter' series will 'benefit' from J.K. Rowling's involvement: she 'has the right to express her personal views' |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/harry-potter-hbo-series-jk-rowling-transphobia-1236215642/ |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=24 November 2024 |access-date=14 January 2025}}</ref> 

Friction over Rowling's gender-critical writings surged in 2019 when she defended [[Maya Forstater]],{{sfn|Whited|2024|pp=6–8}} whose [[Forstater v Centre for Global Development Europe|employment contract was not renewed]] after she made gender-critical statements, which some considered "anti-trans".{{sfn|Pugh|2020|p=7}}<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 December 2019 |title=Maya Forstater: Woman sacked over trans tweets loses tribunal |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50858919 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220004538/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50858919 |archive-date=20 December 2019 |access-date=19 December 2019 |publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Rowling wrote that [[transgender]] people should live in "peace and security" but said she opposed "forc[ing] women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real".<ref name=Stack2019>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/19/world/europe/jk-rowling-maya-forstater-transgender.html|title=J.K. Rowling criticized after tweeting support for anti-transgender researcher|last=Stack|first=Liam|date=19 December 2019|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=13 June 2020| url-access=registration|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613012737/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/19/world/europe/jk-rowling-maya-forstater-transgender.html|archive-date=13 June 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>{{efn|A tribunal ruled in 2021 that Forstater's gender-critical views were protected under the 2010 UK [[Equality Act 2010|Equality Act]].<ref name=Faulkner2021>{{cite news |first= Doug |last= Faulkner |url= https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-57426579 |title= Maya Forstater: woman wins tribunal appeal over transgender tweets |publisher= [[BBC News]] |date= 10 June 2021 |access-date= 26 March 2022}}</ref><ref name=Siddique2021>{{cite news |first= Haroon |last= Siddique |date= 10 June 2021 |title= Gender-critical views are a protected belief, appeal tribunal rules|url= https://www.theguardian.com/law/2021/jun/10/gender-critical-views-protected-belief-appeal-tribunal-rules-maya-forstater |work= [[The Guardian]] |access-date= 26 March 2022}}</ref>{{sfn|Pape|2022|p=230}} In July 2022, a new tribunal decision was published (''[[Forstater v Center for Global Development Europe]]'') ruling that Forstater had suffered direct discrimination from her employer.<ref>{{cite news |title=Maya Forstater: Woman discriminated against over trans tweets, tribunal rules|date=6 July 2022 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62061929 |publisher=[[BBC News]] |access-date=6 July 2022}}</ref>}} According to ''Harry Potter'' scholar Lana Whited, in the next six months "Rowling herself fanned the flames as she became increasingly vocal".{{sfn|Whited|2024|p=6}} In June 2020,{{sfn|Whited|2024|p=6}} Rowling mocked the phrase "[[people who menstruate]]"<ref name=Gross2020>{{Cite news|last=Gross|first=Jenny|date=7 June 2020|title=Daniel Radcliffe criticizes J.K. Rowling's anti-transgender tweets|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/07/arts/Jk-Rowling-controversy.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607221400/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/07/arts/Jk-Rowling-controversy.html |archive-date=7 June 2020 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=6 January 2022 }}</ref> and tweeted that [[women's rights]] and "lived reality" would be "erased" if "sex isn't real".{{sfn|Duggan|2021|pp=14–15}}{{sfn|Pugh|2020|p=7}} In April 2024, responding to [[Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021|Scotland's Hate Crime and Public Order Act]], she tweeted a list of trans women, writing that they are "men, every last one of them".<ref name=Brooks2024>{{cite news |last1=Brooks |first1=Libby |title=JK Rowling's posts on X will not be recorded as non-crime hate incident |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/apr/03/jk-rowling-comments-scotland-non-crime-hate-incident |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=3 April 2024 |access-date= 3 May 2024}}</ref>

Rowling believes that making it simpler for transgender people to transition could impinge on access to female-only spaces and legal protections for women.<ref name=Milne2020/><ref name=Brooks2020/><ref name=Kottasova2019/> She opposes legislation{{efn|The laws and proposed changes are the UK [[Gender Recognition Act 2004]] and the Scotland [[Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill|Gender Recognition Reform Bill]]; related also are the UK [[Equality Act 2010]]{{sfn|Pedersen|2022|loc=Abstract}}{{sfn|Suissa|Sullivan|2021|pp=66–69}}{{sfn|Duggan|2021|loc=PDF pp. 14–15 (160–161)}} and the Scotland Gender Representation on Public Boards Act of 2018.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Watson |first1=Jeremy |title=JK Rowling donates £70k for legal challenge on defining a woman |date=18 February 2024 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/jk-rowling-donates-70k-for-legal-challenge-on-defining-a-woman-73tkvwq0b |work=[[The Times]] |access-date=5 May 2024|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240217200104/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/jk-rowling-donates-70k-for-legal-challenge-on-defining-a-woman-73tkvwq0b |archive-date=17 February 2024 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription}}</ref>}} to advance [[gender self-identification|gender self-recognition]] and enable transition without a medical diagnosis.{{sfn|Whited|2024|p=7}}<ref name=BacksProtest>{{cite news |title= JK Rowling backs protest over Scottish gender bill |date= 6 October 2022|url= https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-63162533 |publisher= [[BBC News]] |access-date= 5 May 2024}}</ref>{{efn|Rowling wrote in 2020: "The current explosion of trans activism is urging a removal of almost all the robust systems through which candidates for sex reassignment were once required to pass. A man who intends to have no surgery and take no hormones may now secure himself a Gender Recognition Certificate and be a woman in the sight of the law."<ref name=RowlingReasons/>}} On social media, Rowling suggests that children and [[cisgender]] women are threatened by trans women and trans-positive messages.{{sfn|Duggan|2021|p=161}}

Rowling's public expression of her views has prompted declarations of [[Transgender rights movement|support for transgender people]] from the literary,<ref>UK, US, Canada, Ireland: {{cite news |last= Flood |first= Alison |date=9 October 2020|title= Stephen King, Margaret Atwood and Roxane Gay champion trans rights in open letter|url= https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/oct/09/stephen-king-margaret-atwood-roxane-gay-champion-trans-rights-open-letter-jk-rowling |work= [[The Guardian]] |access-date= 2 April 2022}}</ref> music,<ref name="Rowley 2020" /> theme park, and video gaming sectors.<ref>Culture sector:
* [[Universal Destinations & Experiences]], [[Warner Bros.]] and [[Scholastic Corporation]]: {{cite news |last1= Siegel |first1= Tatiana |last2= Abramovitch |first2= Seth |date= 10 June 2020 |title= Universal Parks responds to J.K. Rowling tweets: 'Our core values include diversity, inclusion and respect' |work= [[The Hollywood Reporter]] |url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/universal-parks-responds-jk-rowling-tweets-core-values-include-diversity-inclusion-respect-1297845/ |access-date= 3 April 2022|ref=none}}
* [[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]] president: {{cite news |last= Skrebels |first= Joe |title= WB Interactive president responds to ongoing debate over supporting JK Rowling |date=1 October 2020 |url= https://www.ign.com/articles/wb-interactive-president-responds-to-ongoing-debate-over-supporting-jk-rowling |publisher= [[IGN]] |access-date= 2 April 2022|ref=none}}</ref> as well as fuelling debates on [[freedom of speech]].{{sfn|Pape|2022|pp=229–230}}<ref>{{cite web|title=BBC nominates J.K.Rowling's controversial essay of trans rights for award|url=https://www.dw.com/en/bbc-nominates-jk-rowlings-controversial-essay-on-trans-rights-for-award/a-56014673|website=[[DW News]]|date=22 December 2020|access-date=22 December 2020}}</ref> She has been the target of widespread condemnation for her comments on transgender people.{{sfn|Duggan|2021|loc=PDF pp. 14–15 (160–161)}}{{sfn|Schwirblat|Freberg|Freberg|2022|pp=367–369}}{{sfn|Pape|2022|pp=229–230, 238}} This negative reaction has included insults and threats, including death threats.{{sfn|Whited|2024|p=9}}<ref name=Burnell4June>{{Cite news|last=Burnell|first=Paul|date=4 June 2024|title= Internet troll threatened to kill JK Rowling and MP|publisher=[[BBC News]]|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c044vevjyd7o |access-date= 9 June 2024}}</ref> Criticism came from ''Harry Potter'' fansites, LGBT charities, leading actors of the Wizarding World,{{sfn|Henderson|2022|p=224}}<ref name=Petter2020>{{Cite web|last= Petter|first=Olivia|date=17 September 2020|title=Mermaids writes open letter to JK Rowling following her recent comments on trans people|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/mermaids-jk-rowling-transphobia-transgender-sexual-abuse-domestic-letter-a9565176.html|access-date=26 March 2022|work=[[The Independent]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615235531/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/mermaids-jk-rowling-transphobia-transgender-sexual-abuse-domestic-letter-a9565176.html |archive-date=15 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.newstatesman.com/long-reads/2021/11/the-battle-for-stonewall-the-lgbt-charity-and-the-uks-gender-wars | title=The battle for Stonewall: the LGBT charity and the UK's gender wars | work=[[New Statesman]]|first=Gaby |last=Hinsliff|date=3 November 2021 | access-date=24 November 2021}}</ref> and [[Human Rights Campaign]].<ref name= Milne2020/> After [[Kerry Kennedy]] expressed "profound disappointment" in her views, Rowling returned the [[Ripple of Hope Award]] given to her by the [[Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights]] organisation.<ref name=RFKAward>{{cite news |last=Flood|first=Alison |url= https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/aug/28/jk-rowling-robert-f-kennedy-human-rights-award-trans-views|title=JK Rowling returns human rights award to group that denounces her trans views |work=[[The Guardian]]|date=28 August 2020|access-date=28 August 2020}}</ref> Despite the controversy, sales of ''Harry Potter'' books have been unaffected.{{sfn|Pape|2022|p=238}}<ref>{{cite news |first=Mark |last= Sweney |title= Harry Potter books prove UK lockdown hit despite JK Rowling trans rights row |work= [[The Guardian]] |date= 21 July 2020 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jul/21/jk-rowling-book-sales-unaffected-by-transgender-views-row |access-date= 3 May 2024}}</ref>

Rowling denies being transphobic.<ref name=RowlingReasons/><ref name=Dismisses/> In an essay posted on her website in June 2020, she explained that her views on women's rights sprang from her experience of domestic abuse and [[sexual assault]].{{sfn|Duggan|2021|pp=160–161)}}<ref name=Shirbon2020>{{cite news |last1=Shirbon |first1=Estelle |title=J.K. Rowling reveals past abuse and defends right to speak on trans issues |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-rowling/j-k-rowling-reveals-past-abuse-and-defends-right-to-speak-on-trans-issues-idUSKBN23H2XI |publisher=[[Reuters]] |date=10 June 2020 |access-date=13 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611200348/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-rowling/j-k-rowling-reveals-past-abuse-and-defends-right-to-speak-on-trans-issues-idUSKBN23H2XI |archive-date=11 June 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> While affirming that "the majority of trans-identified people not only pose zero threat to others, but are vulnerable&nbsp;... transgender people need and deserve protection", she wrote that it would be unsafe to allow "any man who believes or feels he's a woman" into bathrooms or changing rooms.<ref name= Shirbon2020/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Gonzalez |first1=Sandra |title=J.K. Rowling explains her gender identity views in essay amid backlash |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/10/entertainment/jk-rowling/index.html |access-date=16 September 2023 |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=10 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Garrand |first1=Danielle |title=J.K. Rowling defends herself after accusations of making 'anti-trans' comments on Twitter |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/j-k-rowling-defends-anti-trans-comments-twitter/ |access-date=16 September 2023 |publisher=[[CBS News]] |date=11 June 2020}}</ref> Writing of her own experiences with [[misogyny]],<ref>{{cite news |first= Sian |last= Cain |date= 11 June 2020 |title= JK Rowling reveals she is survivor of domestic abuse and sexual assault |url= https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jun/10/jk-rowling-says-survivor-of-domestic-abuse-sexual-assault |work= [[The Guardian]] |access-date= 29 March 2022}}</ref> she wondered if the "allure of escaping [[womanhood]]" would have led her to transition if she had been born later, and she said that trans activism was "seeking to erode 'woman' as a political and biological class".<ref name=DAlessandro2020>{{cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |title=J.K. Rowling defends trans statements in lengthy essay, reveals she's a sexual assault survivor & says 'trans people need and deserve protection' |url=https://deadline.com/2020/06/j-k-rowling-defends-trans-statements-essay-1202955524/ |access-date=5 January 2022 |publisher=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |date=10 June 2020}}</ref> Whited asserted in 2024 that Rowling's sometimes "flippant" and "simplistic understanding of gender identity" had left some transgender people feeling betrayed and permanently changed her "relationship not only with fans, readers, and scholars&nbsp;... but also with her works themselves".{{sfn|Whited|2024|pp=6–7, 8–9}}