Pop star Jade Thirlwall led a crowd in a chant against author JK Rowling during her set at a London music festival celebrating LGBTQ+ culture.
The former Little Mix member, now performing solo under the name JADE, encouraged thousands of fans at Mighty Hoopla on Saturday to shout “F*** J.K. Rowling” from the main stage.
The chant began when Thirlwall shouted “transphobes,” prompting the crowd to respond with “F*** you.” She then followed with “J.K. Rowling,” and the crowd again replied, “F*** you.”
Footage of the moment was posted on social media with the caption: “Jade, the legend you are!!!”
Rowling, 59, has become a polarising figure in recent years after making a series of remarks widely criticised as transphobic. Since 2019, she has spoken out against the use of preferred pronouns and allowing trans women in female spaces.
The Harry Potter author has said she would “happily” go to prison for misgendering a trans person rather than use their chosen pronouns. In April, she celebrated a Supreme Court ruling tying the legal definition of “woman” to biological sex, which campaigners say could have serious consequences for trans people. Following the verdict, Rowling posted a photo of herself smoking a cigar with the caption: “I love it when a plan comes together.”
She has since urged Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and the Government to apologise for their past support of trans-inclusive policies.
Thirlwall, meanwhile, has been vocal in her defence of trans rights. She was among the signatories of an open letter pledging solidarity with the trans community after the Supreme Court ruling, along with former bandmates Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Perrie Edwards.
In an interview with Gayety, Thirlwall said: “I’ve always been quite vocal, and I’m not always going to get it right. But you can’t be a pop artist right now without speaking out about certain things.
“We’re seeing an attack on the trans community, and I have a very big LGBTQ+ fanbase. I can’t sit back and not be vocal about defending that community. I’m happy to pay the consequences if it means doing the right thing.”
Fans rallied behind her on social media after the performance. One wrote on X: “Out of this world. That was beyond anything in terms of a show. The woman she IS.”
