Harry Potter series author JK Rowling is in hot water again after denying Holocaust facts on X (formerly Twitter). The controversial figurehead has dived full force into the trans-exclusionary radical feminist (TERF) movement in recent years, alienating many LGBTQIA+ Wizarding World fans.
After “accidentally” liking a few transphobic tweets in 2018, Rowling openly joined the “gender critical” movement in 2020. She claimed to be an advocate for women’s safety and worried that allowing transgender women into female spaces would jeopardize that. The author, who later wrote a lengthy book about a trans activist murderer, even claimed she would march with any trans people persecuted for their identities.
Four years later, the writer, sometimes known as Robert Galbraith, has fallen further down the TERF rabbit hole. Last month, she donated £70,000 to For Women Scotland, blatantly supporting a legal battle that would setback transgender women’s rights by 20 years. The Scottish lobby group is challenging a 2004 court decision that granted transgender women the right to change their gender on government documents legally.
She’s definitely faced consequences. The Fantastic Beasts film series bombed. Harry Potter stars Emma Watson (Hermoine Granger), Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) publicly turned against Rowling. She later approved the addition of a trans person to the boycotted video game Hogwarts Legacy, but gave her the name “Sirona…” Sir-ona.
The latest controversy began when Rowling shared a screenshot of a reply to one of her posts reading: “The Nazis burnt books on trans healthcare and research, why are you so desperate to uphold their ideology around gender?”
“I just… how?” Rowling wrote. “How did you type this out and press send without thinking ‘I should maybe check my source for this, because it might’ve been a fever dream’?”
I just… how? How did you type this out and press send without thinking ‘I should maybe check my source for this, because it might’ve been a fever dream’? pic.twitter.com/fl9QLuFytc
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 13, 2024
Commenters immediately corrected Rowling, noting that The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum disproves her claim. Nazis targeted Magnus Hirschfeld, a doctor who pioneered “groundbreaking and radical” research into gender and sexual identity. They destroyed Hirschfeld’s Institute for Sexual Science and obliterated “most of the archives” in the well-documented Berlin Book Burning.
“JK Rowling straight up denying trans history now,” said @ThomasWillett9. “The Nazis targeted and burnt valuable trans research. This is fact. It’s concerning how far she’s falling down the extreme anti-trans rabbit hole & denying reality. She encourages disinformation that’s harming trans people.”
JK Rowling straight up denying trans history now.
The Nazis targeted and burnt valuable trans research. This is fact.
It’s concerning how far she’s falling down the extreme anti-trans rabbit hole & denying reality.
She encourages disinformation that’s harming trans people. pic.twitter.com/IBEp0nzEck— Thomas Willett (@ThomasWillett9) March 13, 2024
German society was relatively progressive regarding transgender identities in the early 1900s. According to Smithsonian Magazine, transgender people could legally change their names and apply for “transvestite certificates” that exempt them from cross-dressing laws. Trans people ran a political club and published multiple magazines.
“The rise of Nazi Germany destroyed this relatively open environment,” Smithsonian wrote. “The Nazis shut down the magazines, the Eldorado and Hirschfeld’s institute. Most people who held ‘transvestite certificates’…had them revoked or watched helplessly as police refused to honor them.”
Smithsonian equates many modern-day persecution of trans people to the events of the Holocaust: “Attacks on trans people are nothing new—and that many of them are straight out of the Nazi playbook.”
Rowling’s latest statement against the transgender and non-binary community drew endless ire from social media users.
“Into a spot of Holocaust denial, are you?” @TheDryhtspice asked. “Hardly surprising. Nazi pals galore.”
Into a spot of Holocaust denial, are you? Hardly surprising. Nazi pals galore.
— John Urquhart 🎄 #AintAsking 𓅿 (@TheDryhtscipe) March 13, 2024
“Read a book, Jo,” @noturtlesoup17 quipped.
Read a book, Jo.
— amanda 🐢 (@noturtlesoup17) March 13, 2024
Public figures, like actor George Takei, even got involved in the discourse. “This is in fact true,” he argued in response to Rowling.
This is in fact true.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) March 13, 2024
In response to criticism, Rowling linked another X thread claiming that only gay and lesbian people were persecuted during the Holocaust, not transgender people. When commenters directed her to academic writings like those from the Holocaust Memorial Museum and Smithsonian, she insisted the social media thread had “sources.”
The thread has sources. Please show your evidence that trans-identifying people were persecuted, as distinct from gay people, who were indeed victims of heinous treatment by the Nazis.
The thread has sources. Please show your evidence that trans-identifying people were persecuted, as distinct from gay people, who were indeed victims of heinous treatment by the Nazis.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 13, 2024
Has JK Rowling gone too far with her recent post about the Holocaust? Share your thoughts with Inside the Magic in the comments.
