J.K. Rowling has found herself in a strange online exchange with a satirical troll account, engaging in a parody spat that revealed, somewhat awkwardly, her haircare routine and personal relationship status—though no one had asked for this information.
To break it down: The interaction began when Rowling, known for her controversial stance on transgender issues, responded to a post from Dame Katy Denise. For those unfamiliar, Denise is a notorious troll account that mocks the experiences of transgender people, so it’s no surprise that Rowling found herself endorsing a post that ridicules trans individuals. The account falsely claimed to be Rowling, listing exaggerated achievements like “67 rodents given life-saving gender reassignment surgery.”
Rowling, not one to shy away from controversy, doubled down by “clarifying” that she is not, in fact, Dame Katy Denise. She then shared a series of hurtful and irrelevant stereotypes about trans people, including bizarre comments like not having “back hair so thick it requires horse clippers,” not needing to “tape up [her] ‘hanging ovaries,’” and not being “in a long-distance relationship with a polyamorous furry called Basil.” It’s disheartening that Rowling would choose to use her platform in this manner rather than, perhaps, retreating to some remote island and living a quiet life without social media, enjoying the success of Harry Potter in peace.
This marks another round in a long-running fake feud between Rowling and the Dame Katy Denise account. Over the years, Rowling has joined in on Denise’s parody campaigns, like the satirical #ChairPoverty, which only serves to trivialize real struggles, especially those faced by transgender people. Unfortunately, this kind of rhetoric from Rowling is all too familiar.
While Rowling is celebrated for creating imaginative fantasy worlds filled with spells and magical creatures, she seems unable to grasp the reality where transgender people are treated with fairness and respect. Earlier this year, she was named in a cyberbullying lawsuit filed by Olympic boxer Imane Khelif, who was repeatedly misgendered and harassed by the author. Rowling and Elon Musk (who also got involved in the attacks) used Khelif—a biological woman—as a pawn in a larger culture war against transgender rights, promoting harmful stereotypes.
Even as Rowling continues to make headlines for her anti-trans comments, she’s also involved in the upcoming Harry Potter TV reboot, where she will serve as executive producer. The show, which will dedicate a season to each book in the franchise, is expected to premiere in 2026. It’s unfortunate that her views on transgender people continue to overshadow this exciting project, and it remains to be seen whether her stance will change in the future. Given her track record, it seems just as unlikely as flying broomsticks or a noseless villain.
Personally, while I never read the Harry Potter books—my witches come in pink bubbles, not on broomsticks—I can’t help but wonder if Rowling will ever evolve in her views. However, considering her current behavior, that might be as unlikely as the world of magic she created.