J.K. Rowling is being hit with a fresh wave of backlash after an essay explaining her controversial views on the transgender community.
Earlier, the Harry Potter author had been criticized on social media for some tweets insisting that sexual identity is entirely biological, and that a trans woman is therefore not a woman.
She doubled down on her views in a lengthy essay posted on her website, revealing she is “a domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor” who was “slurred” as a bigot for fearing the repercussions of allowing “any man who believes or feels he’s a woman” into female “bathrooms and changing rooms.”
“Harry Potter” stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson were quick to declare their own support of the trans community.
After Rowling posted her essay, Warner Bros. — the studio behind the Harry Potter films and the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them spinoff series — issued a statement addressing Rowling’s comments.
“The events in the last several weeks have firmed our resolve as a company to confront difficult societal issues,” reads the studio’s statement. “Warner Bros.’ position on inclusiveness is well established, and fostering a diverse and inclusive culture has never been more important to our company and to our audiences around the world. We deeply value the work of our storytellers who give so much of themselves in sharing their creations with us all. We recognize our responsibility to foster empathy and advocate understanding of all communities and all people, particularly those we work with and those we reach through our content.”
Meanwhile, IndieWire reports that a spokesperson for Warner Bros. “declined to discuss the company’s working relationship with Rowling.”
