Loud and remorseless TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) J.K. Rowling is back in the headlines—and it’s not because this year marks the “Harry Potter” series’ 20th anniversary.
This time, it’s because the infamous author has claimed that she was doxxed by three “actor-activists.” Rowling wrote in a tweet posted on Nov. 23, “Last Friday, my family’s address was posted on Twitter by three activist actors who took pictures of themselves in front of our house, carefully positioning themselves to ensure that our address was visible.”
Rowling further claims in a Twitter thread that the now-deleted photos were used to intimidate her out of speaking up for “women’s sex-based rights” and that her fellow TERFs are being put into a state of fear and distress for “no other reason than that they refuse to uncritically accept that the socio-political concept of gender identity should replace that of sex.”
The photos were actually taken during a trans rights demonstration held outside of Rowling’s home in support of the International Transgender Day of Remembrance. Rowling’s house number got included in the photo, deliberately or not.
One of the three activists, Holly Stars, tweeted after the incident on a now-deleted account: “Yesterday we posted a picture we took at JK Rowling’s house. While we stand by the photo, since posting it we have received an overwhelming amount of serious and threatening transphobic messages so have decided to take the photo down. Love to our trans siblings.”
While we do not advocate doxxing as a way to fight transphobia, Rowling seems to run a self-victimizing rhetoric as an attempt to absolve her of the violence that she’s inflicting on trans individuals by invalidating their identities. Netizens noted that some of the TERFs that Rowling mentioned in her thread who experienced “harassment” similar to hers have a history of doxxing trans people.
Netizens also questioned whether the act really falls under doxxing since it wasn’t exactly “leaked” information. The photos in question were taken at one of Rowling’s homes, a multi-million pound 17th-century Edinburgh mansion that has been reported on by several publications and travel guides. It’s the one surrounded by 30-foot hedges so onlookers don’t have a view of the property.
Drag queen and gay rights activist Panti Bliss tweeted, “You can’t doxx JK Rowling. Every second person in Edinburgh proudly points out to you where her massive house is. They print pics of her gates in the tabloids when she gets in trouble with the local council over her hedges.”
One netizen found it suspicious that Rowling has never complained (or more accurately, called the police) on people taking photos in front of her house before. They’re wondering whether Rowling used the opportunity against trans rights protesters.
As the author continues to spew transphobic myths, let’s continue to do our part in supporting trans people by educating ourselves and others on the reasons why TERF beliefs are harmful and untrue.
Photo courtesy of J.K. Rowling’s Twitter page
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