J. K. Rowling Reported For Misgendering Trans Activist India Willoughby

On Thursday, British police stated that they had received a complaint over remarks made on social media by author J.K. Rowling, which was brought to their attention by a transgender broadcaster. The first transgender newsreader in Britain, India Willoughby, has accused Rowling of committing a “hate crime” over comments the writer made on X on Monday. Rowling has refuted the accusation, stating that having opinions critical of gender is not illegal.

The Controversial Social Media Post

The author of the Harry Potter series got into an online argument with the transgender broadcaster, Loose Women host, and former Big Brother participant India Willoughby, calling her a “man” and using the pronoun“he”. In the X post, Rowling wrote that Willoughby is just a man revealing his misogynistic performance of what he thinks woman means: narcissist, shallow, and exhibitionist. 

Willoughby told Byline TV on Wednesday that Rowling had “definitely committed a crime,” asserting that the best-selling author was guilty of a “cut-and-dry offense.” Willoughby said that Rowling called her a male even when she knew the activist was legally a woman. It violates both the Gender Recognition Act and the Equalities Act because it is a protected characteristic. Willoughby stated that the author misgendered her in front of 14 million followers.

Who is India Willoughby?

Indian Willoughby, a UK citizen was born male. She underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2015. She is the first transgender newsreader on British national television and the first transgender co-host of Loose Women, an ITV conversation program featuring only women. She won the Diversity in Media Award (2017) for Media Moment of the Year and was previously nominated for a British LGBT Award (2017).

Currently, Willoughby is legally identified as a woman. In an interview, after the recent controversy with J. K. Rowling, Willoughby said that all her certificates like her birth certificate, passport, and all other legal documents recognize her as a woman. 

After the issue, Willoughby stated that she had contacted the Northumbria Constabulary regarding the incident. She said that Rowling deliberately misgendered her knowing her real identity, which she felt was grossly offensive.

Rowling’s Response To The Issue

In response to Willoughby’s comments, Rowling claimed that freedom of speech was safeguarded by British law and suggested that Willoughby’s “obsessive targeting” of her amounted to harassment and defamation. 
Rowling said that there was no possible charge. She said that there was no such thing as a hate crime. Rowling accused India of relying on police without knowing this fact. Harry Miller member of the organization WeAreFairCop, with gender-critical lawyers, police officers, writers & professionals, backed Rowling by saying that, misgendering may be rude but it’s not even in the foothills of being a criminal.

The Reason For The Current Issue

The most recent controversy occurred after more than a year of verbal sparring between Rowling and Willoughby. Willoughby tweeted in January of last year, saying, “She is more of a woman than JK Rowling will ever be.” Rowling shared a screenshot of the post with the comment “citation needed”. Both of them have been in heated arguments and fights which ended up in the latest issue.

Rowling said that the lawyers had advised her long before to file a case against Willoughby for her constant targeting. She said that she denied it as she didn’t want Willoughby to gain the popularity and fame she wished to gain.

Read more: Michaela Jaé Rodriguez Titled As The First Trans Woman To Win A Golden Globe!

Rowling’s Controversies On Transgender Issues

Due to her controversial views on transgender problems and the notion of womanhood, Rowling has drawn the hatred of certain trans activists as well as the vociferous support of women’s rights activists. 

Rowling has a long record of speaking out against transgender issues. Last year, she declared that she would sooner go to jail than have to accept that gender is not a biological characteristic that is predetermined at birth. She made such a declaration, following a report that the country’s Labour Party would declare calling someone by the wrong gender on purpose to be a hate crime that carries a jail sentence.