JK Rowling was reported to the British police on Thursday (March 7) by a transgender broadcaster over “misgendering” comments the “Harry Potter” author made on her social media account.
India Willoughby, Britain’s first transgender newsreader, has accused Rowling of a “hate crime” over remarks she posted on X on Monday (March 4).
The 58-year-old author referred to the newsreader as a “man” in her posts.
“I contacted Northumbria Constabulary yesterday … I have reported J.K. Rowling to the police for what she said,” Willoughby said in an interview with independent news publisher Byline Times which it posted on X late on Wednesday.
“Calling a trans person a man, deliberately knowing that that person is a woman – and I am a woman regardless of what J.K. Rowling says … my birth certificate says female, my passport, all my documents, I am legally recognised as a woman, and for J.K. Rowling to deliberately, and that is the key word, misgender me knowing who I am, is grossly offensive.”
Rowling rebuffs accusations
The “Harry Potter” author rebuffed the accusations stating that to hold gender-critical views was not a crime.
“Some time ago, lawyers advised me that not only did I have a clearly winnable case against India Willoughby for defamation, but that India’s obsessive targeting of me over the past few years may meet the legal threshold for harassment,” Rowling wrote on X.
Some time ago, lawyers advised me that not only did I have a clearly winnable case against India Willoughby for defamation, but that India’s obsessive targeting of me over the past few years may meet the legal threshold for harassment. 1/5 https://t.co/kMSMBWO7gm
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 6, 2024
The accusations come after Rowling refused to call Willoughby a “woman” in an online discussion concerning all-female locker rooms.
She said Willoughby was “just a man revelling in his misogynistic performance of what he thinks ‘woman’ means: narcissistic, shallow and exhibitionist”.
Rowling has frequently spoken out on the subject of gender identity. She has come under fierce criticism from several trans activists but has received backing from some women’s rights campaigners.
On being asked about Willoughby’s accusation, Northumbria Police, in Northern England, released a statement saying “On Monday, March 4, we received a complaint about a post on social media. We are currently awaiting to speak to the complainant further.”
(With inputs from agencies)
