UK author JK Rowling has sparked controversy with her recent social media posts, celebrating a Supreme Court ruling that defines women under equality legislation as those determined by “biological sex”. The ruling has significant implications for trans women in the UK, and Rowling’s reaction has reignited debates about her views on trans rights.
Rowling celebrated the decision on social media, referring to it as “TERF VE Day”, a term that has drawn criticism from trans rights advocates and the LGBTQ+ community. The ruling, delivered on April 16, 2025, has sparked widespread debate over gender identity and legal definitions, with critics arguing it undermines the rights of transgender individuals.
In her social media post, Rowling wrote, ‘I love it when a plan comes together.’
I love it when a plan comes together.#SupremeCourt #WomensRights pic.twitter.com/agOkWmhPgb
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 16, 2025
According to The Guardian, “The writer has evolved from celebrated laureate of children’s literature to a fearless figurehead for gender-critical campaigners: someone willing to have battles on X in particular, where she is something of a lightning rod, who fights fire with fire, and seemingly cannot be cowed.”
In June 2020, Rowling posted a link to an article headlined “Creating a more equal post-Covid-19 world for people who menstruate”, to which she commented, People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?” She said, “If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of so many to meaningfully discuss their lives.” The furore that followed led her to post an essay on her website outlining her concerns over “the new trans activism”. She described herself as a “domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor” who had been “triggered” by learning the Scottish government was “proceeding with its controversial gender recognition plans”.