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J.K. Rowling is speaking out again about transgender rights, women’s rights and her ongoing activism.

The 61-year-old Harry Potter author published a lengthy new essay on her official website on Wednesday (October 21), revisiting the controversial statements she made in June 2020.

In the new essay, titled “An Update to My Essay of June 2020,” J.K. says her beliefs have remained the same over the past six years, although her involvement in the issue has expanded.

She also discusses the legal fund she established, a 2025 U.K. Supreme Court ruling and the criticism she has faced over her positions.

What Did J.K. Rowling Say in Her New Essay?

“My views haven’t changed,” J.K. writes at the beginning of the essay.

The author explains that she continues to believe certain approaches to transgender inclusion threaten women’s sex-based rights and freedom of expression.

She argues that organizations and public institutions have increasingly adopted policies based on gender identity, which she believes have affected women’s access to single-sex spaces and services.

“Spawned in philosophy and gender studies departments, it has taken over cultural, political and state-run institutions,” J.K. writes of modern transgender rights activism, arguing that it has gained influence over major institutions.

“Are there vulnerable trans people? Without question. But the current, dominant strain of trans activism bears no resemblance whatsoever to the great social justice movements of the twentieth century,” she writes.

Her statements reflect her longstanding opposition to certain transgender inclusion policies, which has drawn significant criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates and public figures.

Among those who have publicly disagreed with her is Harry Potter TV series actress Bel Powley, who said in August that she strongly disagreed with J.K.‘s views and supported the transgender community.

J.K. Rowling Shares Update on Her Women’s Fund

One of the main developments discussed in the essay is the J.K. Rowling Women’s Fund, which she established in 2024.

The fund provides financial support for certain legal cases involving women’s sex-based rights in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

J.K. says the organization has noticed a change in the types of requests it receives following a U.K. Supreme Court decision in April 2025.

According to the author, applications involving disputes with private companies have declined, while legal challenges involving public institutions remain a significant concern.

She also discusses Beira’s Place, the Edinburgh support service she founded in 2022 for women who have experienced sexual violence.

J.K. alleges that the center experienced “online and telephone” harassment when it opened and says she remains committed to funding the service.

“We were prepared and have been able to uninterruptedly continue to provide the women-only service we were set up to do,” she writes.

What Was the U.K. Supreme Court’s 2025 Ruling?

In April 2025, the U.K. Supreme Court ruled that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 refer to biological sex for the purposes of that legislation.

The decision came in a case brought by the campaign group For Women Scotland against the Scottish government.

The ruling addressed how sex-based protections should be interpreted under the Equality Act. It did not remove all legal protections for transgender people, who continue to have protections under the law.

J.K. welcomed the decision but argues in her new essay that its implementation has not resolved the disputes over women’s spaces and legal protections.

“Gender ideology remains so entrenched among swathes of the management and political class that women are still having to fight for their rights in law,” she writes.

The wider debate remains contentious, with supporters of sex-based restrictions emphasizing privacy and safeguarding, while transgender rights organizations have raised concerns about exclusion and discrimination.

Will J.K. Rowling Continue Speaking Out?

J.K. concludes the essay by making clear that she intends to continue her activism and financial support for legal challenges involving the rights she advocates.

“If a man can be a woman, there is no such thing as a woman. That might not matter to you personally, but it matters to millions of women who don’t have the luxury of pretending that their sex doesn’t matter,” she writes, adding: “I remain on their side.”

Her comments come as the Harry Potter franchise continues expanding, including HBO’s television adaptation.

Several actors associated with the franchise have publicly disagreed with J.K.‘s positions on transgender issues.

Queen Camilla sparked backlash after a meeting with J.K. was publicized earlier this year.

Read J.K. Rowling‘s full October 21 essay on her official website.

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