JK Rowling says new book about transphobia backlash ‘genuinely wasn’t’ inspired by real life
JK Rowling. (Getty/Samir Hussein)
JK Rowling has said her new novel The Ink Black Heart “genuinely wasn’t” inspired by backlash to her comments on the trans community.
The 57-year-old author’s latest crime novel follows a female fantasy cartoon creator hounded by online fans and accused of transphobia before being murdered.
Running to more than 1,000 pages, the book has been widely mocked by those who saw the plot as a thinly-veiled attack on Rowling’s critics.
The Harry Potter author continues to make headlines for her “gender-critical” views and social media posts often praising those with anti-trans views.
During a podcast interview with Graham Norton on Virgin Radio, Rowling put any parallels between her new book’s plot and her life down to coincidences.
As reported in the Independent, Rowling said: “I’d written the book before certain things happened to me online.”
“I said to my husband: ‘I think everyone’s going to see this as a response to what happened to me,’ but it genuinely wasn’t.
“The first draft of the book was finished at the point certain things happened.”
The Ink Black Heart is the latest instalment in JK Rowling’s Cormoran Strike crime thriller series, which she writes under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.
The release of the book has been met with ridicule on social media.
One person took to Twitter and sarcastically wrote: “Finally somebody is speaking up about the plight of poor multi-millionaires who get criticised for the things they write and say”.
Finally somebody is speaking up about the plight of the poor multi-millionaires who get criticised for the things they write and say. https://t.co/G9HbWEs5dQ
— Time's Carcass 💀☭🏺📉 (@_Jack_Graham_) August 29, 2022
Another said: “JK Rowling has turned winning old arguments while you’re in the shower into a literary genre.”
Recently Rowling attracted criticism for praising the work of anti-trans commentator Matt Walsh during a Twitter spat which took place after Walsh weighed in on Macy Gray being accused of transphobia. She later distanced herself from Walsh.
It follows Gray being asked what her definition of “woman” was, to which she replied that it was a “human being with boobs” and a “vagina” for a “start”. Gray later apologised.
Rowling also came under fire for claiming “vulnerable women” are at risk in a US prison because of trans inmates, while seemingly ignoring extensive, horrific abuse by guards at the same facility.
It comes after author Joanne Harris was bombarded with death threats from trolls in the wake of comments from Rowling, who accused Harris of not standing up for authors who have been called out for their gender-critical ideology.
Harris denied this, saying she supports both the “trans community” and “free speech”.
JK Rowling denies that she is transphobic. PinkNews contacted the author’s representative for comment.
