Dispute over transphobic statements
“Harry Potter” author JK Rowling wants to be arrested
JK Rowling in London in 2022.
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“Harry Potter” author JK Rowling is once again at the center of public controversy. She called on the authorities to arrest her.
The British writer JK Rowling (58) is fuming after a change in the law in her adopted home of Scotland. By amending regulations in the fight against hate speech at the beginning of April, the “Harry Potter” author also apparently addressed it herself. She is now calling on the police to arrest her in one of numerous current posts on this topic. Rowling has repeatedly contradicted the Scottish government’s liberal course in connection with the rights of the LGBTQ+ in the past community, especially regarding trans people.
Rowling wrote to her 14 million followers on her official X account (formerly Twitter): “Freedom of speech and belief is at an end in Scotland when accurately describing one’s biological sex is viewed as criminal.” She is currently abroad, but if what she wrote in the past constitutes a crime, she looks forward to being arrested. Specifically, she responded to statements by a minister who stated that in the future, investigations could be launched if a person’s gender was misrepresented on the Internet.
JK Rowling is accused of open trans-phobia
In Scotland, the “Hate Crime and Public Order” brought into force not only criminalized racially motivated acts and calls for hatred, but also those based on age, disability, religion, sexual orientation or trans identity. Numerous critics complain that the authorities could be overwhelmed by countless complaints. Freedom of expression is also at risk. In addition, there was criticism that women were not included in the protected groups. However, the Scottish government has already announced another law that will focus on combating misogyny.
Rowling has been criticizing trans people’s open approach to their identity and gender roles for many years. She has already quarreled with politicians on several occasions. In a post from 2022, Rowling, who describes herself as a feminist, called, among other things, for a “no to self-identification.” Among other things, she speaks out against the term “people who menstruate” and argues that people born as biological women or men will remain women or men throughout their lives. Many trans activists therefore accuse her of open trans hostility.