J.K. Rowling walks back support for far-right anti-trans troll Matt Walsh

J.K. Rowling is trying to distance herself from far-right troll Matt Walsh after praising his anti-trans documentary What Is a Woman?

In thread of tweets on July 12, the Harry Potter author, who has become infamous in recent years for her anti-trans views, attempted to walk back her support of Walsh’s film, while doubling down on her criticism of what she calls the “gender identity movement.”

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“A shared belief that women exist as a biological class…does not an ally make,” Rowling tweeted. “Walsh believes feminism is ‘rotten’ and his default appears to be denigrating women with whom he disagrees. He’s no more on my side than the ‘shut up or we’ll bomb you’ charmers who cloak their misogyny in a pretty pink and blue flag.”

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Respectfully, I've been facing down the Punch-and-Kill-TERFs brigade for a while now and not once have I thought, 'what I really want is to hand this over to a man who thinks feminism is one of the worst things to happen to western civilisation.' 1/4 https://t.co/yL3uZF0Udb

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) July 12, 2022

Rowling drew renewed criticism earlier this week when she praised Walsh’s film in a Twitter exchange sparked by singer Macy Gray walking back her own recent anti-trans comments.

“I respect the courage you’ve shown on this issue, @jk_rowling,” Walsh tweeted.

“And your film did a good job exposing the incoherence of gender identity theory and some of the harms it’s done,” Rowling tweeted in response.

And your film did a good job exposing the incoherence of gender identity theory and some of the harms it's done. Many institutions I used to admire have uncritically embraced this dogma, but I reserve my ire for them rather than shouting 'coward' at individual women.

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) July 10, 2022

Released last month, Walsh’s film purports to be an earnest inquiry into womanhood. But as LGBTQ Nation’s Erin Rook wrote in their review of the film, “Walsh’s anti-trans agenda is clear from the start. No matter how many times he repeats the central question, Walsh is really asking: ‘Are trans people crazy or what?’ and inviting viewers to join him in his conclusion that gender transition is a threat to both individuals and society.”

A columnist for conservative site The Daily Wire and the author of a best-selling anti-trans children’s book, Walsh has criticized same-sex and single parents and has been accused of setting up a fake organization to trick trans people into being interviewed for What Is a Woman?

The day that the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision striking down Roe v. Wade, Walsh tweeted that “This is one of the greatest days in American history. Praise God.”

Rowling, who describes herself as a feminist and gay ally, was roundly criticized on social media for her hypocrisy in voicing support for Walsh, who describes himself as a “theocratic fascist.”

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Rowling has characterized the fight for transgender rights as misogynistic and has spread fearmongering misinformation implying that trans women would potentially commit assaults in women’s restrooms. Her comments have led several stars of the Harry Potter film franchise to distance themselves from the author and her views.

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