A J.K. Rowling Transphobia Primer (A Good, Old-Fashioned Link List!)

Originally posted April 6, 2021; last updated August 12, 2023.

Below is a good, old-fashioned link list of the J.K. Rowling transgender controversy. I initially built this list for my college students who were reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999) as part of a "Coming-of-Age" literature class (they've also read Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Alice Walker's The Color Purple, and Steven Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower, fyi). When I first started posting on the controversy, it seemed to many like only an intercene fandom happening, but the story has continued to have ramifications for the business prospects of the Harry Potter franchise, to say nothing of the real-world impact on the trans community. For my views, see other posts on this blog. - Donald E. Simpson, PhD.

J.K. Rowling "Who'll Have You" Tweet on Twitter (December 19, 2019)

The Guardian (UK) on the Maya Forstater Case (December 18, 2019)

The Maya Forstater Judgment (December 18, 2019)

Fast Company on the 2019 Rowling Tweets (December 19, 2020)

The Leaky Cauldron (major Harry Potter fan site) shuns Rowling (July 1, 2020)

Daniel Radcliffe's Response on the Trevor Project for LGBTQ Rights (June 8, 2020)

"TERF Wars" Essay (retitled "J.K. Rowling Writes about Her Reasons for Speaking out on Sex and Gender Issues" (June 10, 2020)

Human Rights Campaign responds to Rowling's latest transphobic post - HRC (June 10, 2020)

How Rowling Betrayed the World She Created - Literary Hub (June 10, 2020)

The Author Who Failed Us - Vox (June 11, 2020)

Vanity Fair on the U.K. Political Origins of Rowling's Views (June 12, 2020)

Fans Reimagine Their World Without Its Creator - NY Times (June 12, 2020)

Deconstructing Rowling's Transphobic Misinformation (June 16, 2020)

"Who'll Have You?" phrase in the work of J.K. Rowling (June 21, 2020)

J.K. Rowling Blocks Stephen King (June 29, 2020)

Her Fandom Has Officially Canceled J.K. Rowling - In Style (July 2, 2020)

How J.K. Rowling Became Voldemort - The Atlantic (July 6, 2020)

Indie bookstores drop "transphobic" Rowling - Publisher's Weekly (July 7, 2020)

J.K. Rowling's Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award revoked (August 8, 2020)

Rowling's response to her RFK Ripple of Hope Award revocation (August 27, 2020)

Forbes Magazine on the J.K. Rowling Controversy (September 17, 2020)

Understanding Rowling: Transphobia's Not the Answer (September 18, 2020)

Pete Davidson's Weekend Update remarks on Saturday Night Live (YouTube) (October 11, 2020)

HBO Harry Potter development deal faces backlash (January 25, 2021)

90-minute Dissection of J.K. Rowling by Contrapoints (January 26, 2021)

Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort Actor) Defends J.K. Rowling (March 18, 2021)

Rupert Grint on why he publicly condemned J.K. Rowling's view - Buzzfeed (March 22, 2021)

Rowling Controversy and the Business Future of Harry Potter - CNBC (March 24, 2021) 

The Washington Post on Being Transgender in the UK (March 31, 2021)

Here's How J.K. Rowling's Platform Exacerbates Her Damaging Words - Ask.com (April 2, 2021)

Transgender Childhood Is Not a "Trend" - New York Times (April 5, 2021)

Stanford Harry Potter Dorm "Panics" over J.K. Rowling (April 6, 2021)

Alabama Bans Transgender Treatment for Minors - The Washington Post (April 6, 2021)

Stanford Harry Potter Dorm "Panics" over J.K. Rowling (April 6, 2021)

Why More Trans People are Hiding Their Identity at Work in U.K. - The World (April 6, 2021)

Rowling Claims Backlash Proves Her Transphobic Views Were Right All Along - Twitter (July 19, 2021)

Dave Chappelle says he's 'Team TERF,' defends J.K. Rowling - USA Today (October 5, 2021)

Rowling's transphobia meant to "prod her readers" - The Medium (December 29, 2021)

The splintering of Harry Potter Fandom - Polygon (January 5, 2022)

Why supporting Harry Potter licensing supports Rowling's hate - Gamespot (March 22, 2022)

Gender Recognition Reform Bill (Scottland) - Scottish Government (March 22, 2022)

Vladimir Putin recognizes an Ally in J.K. Rowling - New York Times (March 25, 2022)

The Ideological Alignment of Putin and Rowling - Forbes (March 26, 2022)

The Metamorphosis of J.K. Rowling - Politico (July 7, 2022)

Opting for ignorance with J.K. Rowling - The Courier (September 20, 2022)

Rowling slams Scottish leader over transgender bill - New York Post (October 6, 2022)

What Rowling and Cleese get wrong about "cancel culture" - New Statesman (October 19, 2022)

Rowling is Getting Worse - Council of Geeks (October 22, 2022)

Warner CEO open to more Harry Potter content - Variety (November 3, 2022)

Warner CEO investor call a warning shot for Rowling (November 11, 2022)

Gender Critical Movement is Genocidal Fascism - Lemkin Instititute (November 29, 2022)

Rowling sends crate of champagne to Sturgeon heckler - MSN (November 30, 2022)

Rowling-funded cisgender-only rape clinic excludes trans women - The Mary Sue (December 16, 2022)

Rowling cyberbullies transwoman gamer-critic - Forbes (December 16, 2022)

Rowling "not a transphobe," merely "standing up for women's rights" - The Scotsman (December 21, 2022) 

A Rowling Transphobia Timeline - The Mary Sue (December 27, 2022)

"Complete" Breakdown of Rowling's Transgender Comments - Glamour (February 7, 2023)

A Rowling Transphobia Timeline - The Week (February 13, 2023)

"Misunderstood" Rowling to address backlash in "Witch Trial" podcast - Variety (February 14, 2023)

Rowling: Anti-trans comments "profoundly" misunderstood - Los Angeles Times (February 14, 2023)

Gender Law Brings Down Scottish First Minister - The Atlantic (February 15, 2022)

Pamela Paul: In Defense of J.K. Rowling - The New York Times (February 16, 2022)

Impeccable Timing, Pamela Paul! - Slate (February 16, 2022)

Conspiracy theorist Alice Walker defends Rowlling - Out (March 9, 2023)

Rowling Claims Fans "Grateful" and "Deeply Unhappy" Simultaneously - Entertainment Weekly (March 14, 2023)

Rowling Knew Transphobic Views Would Upset Fans - ET Canada (March 15, 2023)

Rowling: "You Cannot Argue Me Out of This" - Hollywood Reporter (March 15, 2023)

Is Rowling Transphobic? Let Her Speak for Herself - Vox (March 16, 2023)

Rowling "Truly Clueless" About Her Own Works - The Mary Sue (March 16, 2023)

Puffs spoofs Potter - Slate - (May 26, 2023)

Daniel Radcliffe and Six Trans Kids Talk - YouTube (March 31, 2023)

Rowling Production Company Reports Profit Loss - Collider (March 31, 2023)

Rowling Business Down, Author in Trouble? - Giant Freakin' Robot (April 1, 2023)

The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling cf. Anita Bryant - Contrapoints (April 17, 2023)

She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named - Museum of Pop Culture (May 26, 2023)

Rowling Removed from Museum of Pop Culture - Entertainment Weekly (August 6, 2023)

Rowling Loses Millions Post-Transphobia - Inside the Magic (August 9, 2023)

Rowling Effaced from Museum Potter Exhibit - The Art Newspaper (August 11, 2023)

Rowling Would Rather Serve Jail Time Disavow Hate Views - Teen Vogue (October 20, 2023)

Rowling, UK's Nastiest Novelist - The New Statesman (January 15, 2024) 

Rowling Won't Forgive Child Stars for Turning on Her - People (April 11, 2024)

Cass Report on Gender Identity Care - National Health Service UK (April 2024)

  

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