JK Rowling is coming under fire after she published a rambling essay defending her anti-trans views, but Harry Potter fans are a little confused by one of her comments.
Trans people’s right to use the correct bathroom has long been a sticking point for anti-trans activists, many of whom believe that public toilets should be reserved only for cis men and women.
And Rowling appears to be of this belief too, according to yesterday’s essay.
In the article, Rowling claimed that she wants “trans women to be safe”, but added: “At the same time, I do not want to make natal girls and women less safe.”
She continued: “When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he’s a woman… then you throw open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside. That is the simple truth.”
JK Rowling had no issue writing a book featuring two cis boys in a girls’ bathroom more than 20 years ago.
Fans of her books have been quick to point out that Rowling’s views don’t line up with the events of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
In that book, Harry and Ron – two cisgender boys – spend much of their time in a girls’ toilet.
There, Hermione and the two cis boys create a polyjuice potion so they can change their physical form in an effort to question Draco Malfoy about the Chamber of Secrets.
Furthermore, Hermione has to convince Ron to enter the girls’ toilet when he expresses concern. She insists that there “won’t be anyone in there” and tells her friends that they should “have a look”.
The bathroom is best known to Harry Potter fans as Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom, because it is here that the ghost floats around hitting on Harry, a 12-year-old boy.
The book shows that Rowling wasn’t all that concerned about cisgender men taking over women’s toilets 22 years ago when the book was published – and fans have been pointing out the strange hypocrisy on Twitter.
Hang on, didn’t #JKRowling write a whole book where Harry and Ron spend all their time hanging out in a girls bathroom?
— Eleanor Morton 6 Feet Away (@EleanorMorton) June 11, 2020
For someone so concerned about trans and bathrooms, JK Rowling sure wrote a lot about Boys in Girls bathrooms brewing potions so they could identify as other people.
— Matthew Jens Robinson (@JensRagnarok) June 11, 2020
Others pointed out that Rowling, who has expressed other concerning views about bathrooms, shouldn’t be considered an authority on the subject.
JK Rowling, the lady who claimed wizards used to just poop their pants and magic it away, is not allowed to have literally any opinion on bathrooms pic.twitter.com/HNirGfP2ZQ
— Jon Barr (@JonBarrTweets) June 10, 2020
The author has faced backlash over her anti-trans views.
Rowling has faced significant backlash from LGBT+ rights activists and organisations since she published her lengthy essay on her own website yesterday (June 10).
In the article, Rowling claimed that she “might have transitioned” if she had grown up 30 years later and linked advancements in trans rights to Donald Trump, incels and porn.
The author also opened up about her own past experiences of sexual assault and domestic abuse – however, she has been criticised for using her own personal trauma to argue against trans rights.
Rowling has been met with a tidal wave of criticism and backlash since she made her anti-trans views public. Even Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Evanna Lynch, Bonnie Wright, Chris Rankin and Katie Leung have come out in support for the trans community.