"'Feminazi,' 'TERF,' 'b----,' 'witch,'" she wrote in response to someone calling her a "TERF," which stands for trans-exclusionary radical feminist. "Times change. Women-hate is eternal."
Rowling has been accused of holding so-called "TERF" beliefs for over a year, as the author repeatedly stated that she supports feminist women who do not believe that transgender women are female. "JK Rowling is a TERF" and "TERF" trended alongside the author's name, after she posted several tweets. The label "TERF" is itself controversial, as some self-identified gender critical feminists view it as hate speech.
While "TERF"-associated ideology is prominent in the UK, Rowling's tweets were widely supported, attracting more positive and encouraging replies than negative ones. Aside from being unpopular in mainstream online circles, "TERFs" have created online subcommunities that have no real weight in the real world.
Rowling's popular statements resonated to her 14.5 million Twitter followers and it clearly say that trans people are "erasing the concept of sex" — part of "TERF"-associated ideology that denies the difference between gender and sex, and which Rowling has previously spoken about. Rowling justified her stance by using it to support "same-sex attraction" because there is no proof that most gay men and lesbian women support transgender people.
In response to claims that she is not aware about the difference between gender and sex, Rowling wrote, "I've spent much of the last three years reading books, blogs and scientific papers by trans people, medics and gender specialists. I know exactly what the distinction is. Never assume that because someone thinks differently, they have no knowledge."
Rowling also tweeted out an article that used the phrase "people who menstruate" instead of "women." Rowling added: "I'm sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?"
To highlight the support she received, Rowling cited a "self-described butch lesbian" friend of hers who she said called her and shouted "F---ING YES" after seeing Rowling's recent tweets. She also shared an article written by a lesbian women who holds "TERF"-associated beliefs and retweeted a gay man who endorsed gay individuals who are "concerned" about transgender activism.
Rowling is the author of the much-loved series of seven Harry Potter novels, originally published between 1997 and 2007.