JK Rowling dismisses backlash over trans comments: 'I don't care about my legacy'

JK Rowling has said she isn't acrophobic astir however the backlash to her presumption connected transgender issues volition impact her legacy, and that anyone who thinks she is has "profoundly" misunderstood her.

The Harry Potter writer has been called transphobic for her views connected sex individuality and the question of allowing trans women into women-only spaces.

Speaking successful a caller podcast, Rowling said she "never meant to upset anyone".

"However, I was not uncomfortable with getting disconnected my pedestal."

Referring to fans who assertion she has "ruined" her legacy, Rowling said they "could not person misunderstood maine much profoundly".

"I bash not locomotion astir my location reasoning astir my legacy," she continued.

"What a pompous mode to unrecorded your life, walking astir thinking, what volition my bequest be? Whatever, I'll beryllium dead. I attraction astir now. I attraction astir the living."

In an effort connected her website successful 2020, she wrote: "When you propulsion unfastened the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to immoderate antheral who believes oregon feels he's a woman… you unfastened the doorway to immoderate and each men who privation to travel inside."

Her presumption has been interpreted by immoderate arsenic transphobic, starring to calls for a boycott of the Harry Potter franchise, ranging from its books and movies to the blockbuster video crippled Hogwarts Legacy.

Harry Potter movie actors including Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson person criticised Rowling's comments.

Ralph Fiennes, who played Lord Voldemort, came to the author's defence, calling the maltreatment she has received "disgusting" and "appalling".

She has denied being transphobic, saying she supports trans rights and wants trans radical to beryllium escaped from favoritism and abuse.

In the podcast, titled The Witch Trials of JK Rowling, the writer said she had besides received "direct threats of violence" arsenic a effect of her stance.

"I person had radical coming to my location wherever my kids live, and I've had my code posted online. I've had what the police, anyway, would respect arsenic credible threats."

Rowling aboriginal said galore questions bash not needfully person clear-cut answers.

"There is simply a immense appeal, and I effort to amusement this successful the Potter books, to achromatic and achromatic thinking.

"It's the easiest spot to beryllium and successful galore ways it's the safest spot to be. If you instrumentality an all-or-nothing presumption connected anything, you volition decidedly find comrades, you volition easy find a community. 'I've sworn allegiance to this 1 elemental idea.'

"What I've tried to amusement successful the Potter books, and what I consciousness powerfully myself, is that we should mistrust ourselves astir erstwhile we are certain."

The Witch Trials of JK Rowling is simply a seven-part bid presented by Megan Phelps-Roper, who was raised for 26 years successful the extremist Westboro Baptist Church, earlier escaping successful 2012.

The archetypal 2 episodes, released connected Tuesday, effort to gully parallels betwixt the Christian fundamentalists who sought to prohibition the Harry Potter books successful the aboriginal 2000s, and the activists who are criticising Rowling today.

Asked astir the protestors who burned her books successful the aboriginal 2000s, claiming they promoted witchcraft, Rowling said: "Book burners, by definition, person placed themselves crossed a enactment of rational debate.

"There is nary publication connected this satellite that I would burn, including books that I bash deliberation are damaging. Burning, to me, is the past edifice of radical who cannot argue."