In a series of tweets today, Rowling addressed trans rights activists who she believes are attempting to alter the narrative surrounding the backlash against those who opposed trans activism between 2019 and 2024. She noted that followers might amplify their support in a cascading manner, but she emphasized the difference between the leaders of the trans rights movement and their devoted supporters.
Let’s examine these tweets and compare them to Rowling’s earlier comments regarding the potential for a resolution with trans rights activists, Hollywood, and the producers of Harry Potter fan conventions, as well as podcasters and website owners, made in January.
The tweets may seem to suggest a conciliatory tone from someone who has publicly taken a firm stance against influencers attempting to cancel her, asserting views such as (a) the existence of only two genders and (b) rejecting the idea that “transgender women are women,” a principle often attributed to George Orwell. The second tweet implies that a celebrity influencer who allowed trans issues to be mishandled should not receive an easy pass during the controversy surrounding these topics.
Rowling tweeted about this in late January 2025, and further insights into her views can be found in our prior discussion about “Friends.” While she may now be willing to reconcile with “very young people who got swept up in this,” the facts of the situation have become widely accepted knowledge. She appears to regret that some groups have reflected on their online behavior, but she does not seek a truth commission or a witch hunt similar to the one she faced, aimed at those perceived as unable to withstand the wave of attacks from supporters of trans rights against “Terfs.”
Nonetheless, will those who are mature enough to take responsibility for their views be targeted by a backlash of approval and disapproval? Rowling did not contradict her January assertion that her concerns were “not paranoia” in her comments today.
