JK Rowling claims she has been contacted by thousands of people expressing their support of her views on gender and women’s rights.
The 54-year-old Harry Potter author has been under fire in recent months after sharing her views on the transgender rights movement and her concerns over how proposed changes in Scottish law could conflict with women’s rights.
The author found herself under a barrage of abuse and denunciation from fans and Harry Potter cast members when she took a stance about the definition of women and menstruation earlier this month.
She then issued a lengthy open letter three days later to expand on her concerns and also shared details of sexual and domestic abuse she endured earlier in her life.
Last week, things took a turn when Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle accused the author of “using” her experience as “justification for discriminating against” the trans community in a Tribune magazine article.
He has since apologised.
Taking to Twitter on Sunday, JK reacted to Lloyd’s apology – and revealed she had been approached by other assault survivors following the publication of her essay.
She tweeted: “Since writing my essay, I’ve received over 3000 emails thanking me for speaking up.
“I’ve been brought to tears many times while reading, sometimes out of gratitude for their kindness, but also because many women have shared their own experiences of violence & sexual assault.”
The self-made billionaire went on to claim that some of the people who had contacted her had done so to share their concerns about trans activism.
She wrote: “Some emails came from professionals working in women’s refuges, the prison service, the social work system, the criminal justice system and the police. All expressed concerns about the aims and methods of current trans activism.
“As I stated in my essay, my primary worry is the risks to vulnerable women. As everyone knows, I’m no longer reliant on communal facilities, nor am I likely to be imprisoned or need a women's refuge any time soon. I’m not arguing for the privileged, but the powerless.”
In JK’s essay, she flagged that she was concerned by Scottish government plans to introduce sex self-identification laws which would allow people to declare a change of gender without the need for medical treatment.
The author previously sparked controversy when, in December last year, she disagreed with a court ruling which saw a judge deny that biological sex was protected in law.
The case involved an office worker called Maya Forstater who did not have her work contract renewed after she voiced an opinion that sex is determined by biology.
Maya had tweeted that "Men cannot change into women" and entered an employment tribunal to request a judge to protect her views on biology under the Equality Act 2010.
However Judge Tayler ruled against her case.
JK tweeted at the time: “Dress however you please. Call yourself whatever you like. Sleep with any consenting adult who’ll have you. Live your best life in peace and security.
“But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real? #IStandWithMaya.”
