Cruel JK Rowling calls trans soccer official a “crossdressing straight man” for no reason

The latest target of J.K. Rowling’s increasingly vicious transphobia is a history-making trans soccer official who did nothing to Rowling that could have provoked the tirade.

Lucy Clark became the first ou trans soccer referee in the world when she was hired to call games for England women’s soccer’s third tier. This year, she made history again by becoming the first out trans manager in the history of competitive English soccer when she was hired to manage Sutton United.

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Rowling responded to a now-deleted post from an LGBTQ+ nonprofit praising Clark and implied she was a middle-aged man.

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“When I was young all the football managers were straight, white, middle-aged blokes, so it’s fantastic to see how much things have changed,” she wrote.

When I was young all the football managers were straight, white, middle-aged blokes, so it's fantastic to see how much things have changed. https://t.co/jx9zp0hRyU

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 11, 2024

In response to backlash, she called Clark a crossdresser, misgendered her, and said trans women are merely caricatures of cisgender women.

“Calling a man a man is not ‘bullying’ or ‘punching down,'” she said. “Crossdressing straight men are currently one of the most pandered-to demographics in existence, and women are under no obligation to applaud the people caricaturing us.”

Calling a man a man is not 'bullying' or 'punching down.' Crossdressing straight men are currently one of the most pandered-to demographics in existence, and women are under no obligation to applaud the people caricaturing us.

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 12, 2024

The same day as Rowling’s first post, Clark responded to the vitriol being hurled at her by Rowling and other anti-trans trolls.

“Another day of hate fuelled transphobia against me… but hey guess what I am living my best life. Wake up everyday with my beautiful family around me. Everyday I laugh and have things to look forward too. Who’s winning at life…the one who’s happy and smiling or those hating?”

She added, “You keep hating and I will keep on smiling and living my best life. Maybe you should all give it a try eh.”

So JK, Posie, Glinner and the rest of you out there hating on my community and myself guess what IDGAF…you keep hating and I will keep on smiling and living my best life. Maybe you should all give it a try eh

— Lucy Clark. (@lucyclarkref) May 11, 2024

Rowling has a long history of transphobia, and it has only become more intense, more public, and more hateful over time.

In 2019, she first revealed her anti-trans views by tweeting her support for an anti-transgender activist. Since then, she regularly spreads fearmongering misinformation about how trans women would potentially commit assaults if allowed in women’s restrooms, has written long essays denigrating trans women, repeats baseless conspiracy theories about kids being coerced into transitioning, and promotes transphobic merchandise vendors on social media.

Additionally, Rowling has come out in support of conversion therapy for trans people and claimed that almost everyone agrees with her, even as famous people that she has worked with condemned her words. She also recently donated £70,000 (about $89,000) to a transphobic Scottish women’s organization to oppose trans-inclusive governmental policies.

Her social media presence has been so focused on anti-trans rhetoric that even Elon Musk – a well-known transphobe himself – recently suggested she tone it down. Musk told her to try writing something “interesting and positive” after she shared a 709-word essay explaining her transphobic views.

Musk said in a now-deleted post, “While I heartily agree with your points regarding sex/gender, may I suggest also posting interesting and positive content on other matters?”

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