JK Rowling, despite having previously complained about netizens threatening her life, is back on social media, stirring the ever-inflammatory gender debate.
This time, she took aim at Glamour UK’s Women of the Year 2025 issue, which features nine transgender women.
But Glamour may be seen as having drawn first blood in the new spat. In promoting this edition, the publication referenced the UK Supreme Court’s April ruling that excluded trans women “from the legal definition” of gender—an outcome Rowling had publicly supported and celebrated.
Highlights
- JK Rowling reignited the gender debate after criticizing Glamour UK’s Women of the Year issue.
- The magazine featured nine transgender women and subtly referenced a court ruling Rowling supported.
- Glamour clapped back at Rowling on X, replying, “Better luck next year Jo x.”
As with many of her posts on the topic, some fans have rallied behind her remarks, while others see her as a “rabid frothing” transphobe.
Glamour UK named-dropped high-profiles like Pedro Pascal and Mariah Carey to get its point across
Image credits: Getty/Samir Hussein
The post that set the Harry Potter mastermind off went live on Instagram on October 30.
“When London-based American designer Conner Ives closed his AW25 show wearing the now iconic ‘Protect the Dolls’ T-shirt in support of trans women, a full-blown cultural moment was born,” the Glamour update read.
“After April’s UK Supreme Court ruling excluding trans women from the legal definition of [...], the message became a rallying cry for solidarity, visibility and resilience.”
To enforce its point, the outlet dropped names like Pedro Pascal (who has a trans sibling), Tilda Swinton, and Mariah Carey as ambassadors for the cause, as they were also seen wearing “Protect the Dolls” T-shirts.
Rowling posted Glamour Magazine’s cover with a criticism
Image credits: Getty/Walter McBride
Glamour confirmed that it would be “crowning” nine “dolls” in “music, publishing, and activism, as our Women of the Year.”
While there were many encores, there was a slew of dissenting comments emanating from women who felt insulted by Glamour’s choice.
Rowling led the charge from X, where she reposted Glamour’s photo of the featured nine, along with the caption:
“I grew up in an era when mainstream women’s magazines told girls they needed to be thinner and prettier.”
“I grew up in an era when mainstream women’s magazines told girls they needed to be thinner and prettier.”
“Now mainstream women’s magazines tell girls that men are better than women they are.”
Rowling’s post drew a fair amount of support
Image credits: British GLAMOUR
“What sickens me is so many women are cheering this on. They think they are in the right by completely ignoring women’s needs in their efforts to make sure no man ever experiences hurt feelings,” wrote one person favoring Rowling’s perspective.
The same sentiments appeared alongside the magazine’s Instagram post when one person, summing up the general trans-sceptic stance in the thread, wrote:
“So Glamour’s Women of the Year are… men.”
Glamour Magazine also weighed in on Rowling’s post, wishing her better luck next year
Image credits: British GLAMOUR
To others, these reactions were nothing more than “rabid frothing.” One netizen wrote as much and thanked the publication for “being inclusive.”
“Glamour has always been trans inclusive, and this simply states that trans women are valid, not better,” wrote another, bearing the same sentiments but trying to explain the magazine’s stance on gender issues.
It appears that Glamour anticipated a reaction from Rowling, and they did not have to wait very long, as the author’s reaction came the very next day.
Glamour then telegraphed to her that, yes, this new campaign was with her in mind by responding directly to her X critique with: “Better luck next year Jo x.”
Rowling’s post comes less than a month after SNL mocked her
Image credits: British GLAMOUR
Rowling’s latest post comes less than a month after she was lampooned on SNL.
On the program’s 51st season premiere, Bowen Yang played the role of Dobby, who the author purportedly sent to establish, once and for all, the definition of a woman.
On the program’s 51st season premiere, Bowen Yang played the role of Dobby, who the author purportedly sent to establish, once and for all, the definition of a woman.
Later, Yang was seen wearing a T-shirt that read “They K Rowling” meshing her name into the non-binary vocabulary that she more often than not finds herself on the wrong side of.
In this sketch, Chang referenced “threats” Rowling had allegedly received—a topic the author has held against actors like Emma Watson, who starred in the Harry Potter universe.
JK Rowling previously complained about being threatened for her stance on gender issues
Image credits: British GLAMOUR
In an earlier post, she slammed Watson, who played Hermione Granger, for taking on the role of a “de facto spokesperson” for her.
One day in 2022, when the internet furor surrounding Rowling was at its most chaotic, both attended the All Witches’ ceremony where Watson spoke.
After her speech, she passed a note to Rowling that read: “I’m so sorry for what you’re going through.”
What Rowling was “going through” included, by her own account, a variety of “threats” resulting in her security measures being “tightened considerably.”
Rowling once took aim at Watson for not calling her when the threats against her were at their peak
Image credits: jkrowling
The part that Rowling begrudged Watson for was having a note passed to her when she (Watson) had her (Rowling’s) number, and could have called at any time before, during, and after the social media savagery, but did not.
The nine trans women included in this year’s lineup are British media personalities Munroe Bergdorf, Shon Faye, Bel Priestley, Munya, Ceval Omar, Taira, Dani St James, Maxine Heron, and Mya Mehmi.
Another netizen finds the term dolls "creepy and repellent"
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