The British author best known for her wildly popular Harry Potter series, Joanne Kathleen Rowling or J.K. Rowling has faced public backlash on multiple occasions. Her controversial statements on social media and in interviews have led to accusations of transphobia, and other forms of discrimination. Below, we have compiled some of J.K. Rowling's public criticisms.

J.K. Rowling "liked" tweets that made disparaging remarks about trans women and the transgender movement, which she later acknowledged was a mistake in a statement and a blog post.

Rowling was criticised for her support of Maya Forstater, a researcher who had been fired for her views on transgender rights. Many saw Rowling's support as an endorsement of transphobic views.

The "Harry Potter" author faced backlash for defending Johnny Depp's casting in "Fantastic Beasts" despite domestic abuse allegations. The choice of Depp in the movie has drawn the attention of the public so his role in the upcoming sequel has been recast due to fan petitions.

The British author faced criticism for her response to accusations of racism in the casting of a black actress in the role of Hermione Granger in a play adaptation of Harry Potter.

In a blog post entitled “J.K. Rowling Writes about Her Reasons for Speaking out on Sex and Gender Issues”, Rowling responded to the backlash by writing a lengthy essay about her views on gender identity, leading to further criticism.

Some of the Harry Potter cast members, including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, publicly spoke out against Rowling's comments and showed their support for the transgender community.

The esteemed author has also been criticised for cultural appropriation, with some people accusing her of taking inspiration from Native American cultures for her books.

Critics also argue that the Harry Potter series is lacking in diversity and representation, particularly when it comes to race and sexuality.

Released in September 2020, J.K. Rowling's novel “Troubled Blood” published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith also faced criticism for her portrayal of a cross-dressing serial killer. The book was deemed offensive and triggering by some readers, leading to calls for boycotts and the cancellation of the book.

Her portrayal of disability in the Harry Potter series, particularly with the character of Mad-Eye Moody was immensely criticised by many people.

J.K. Rowling’s views on politics have also been controversial, with some accusing her of being conservative and supporting anti-immigrant policies.

Her use of harmful stereotypes in the portrayal of goblins and other magical creatures in the Harry Potter series has also been condemned. Actually, she was accused of including anti-Semitic stereotypes. The descriptions of the goblins in the series bear a striking resemblance to anti-Semitic stereotypes.

In Harry Potter books, some fans have accused J.K. Rowling of queer baiting, implying same-sex attraction between characters without ever explicitly confirming it.

Rowling's portrayal of the villain Lord Voldemort in the series has been accused of being ableist, particularly in his physical deformities.

Some have criticised her for the way she handles religion in the series, accusing her of promoting a narrow view of Christianity. They accused the Harry Potter series of depicting evil and encouraging occultism.

In October 2022, J.K. Rowling declared her support for demonstrations against the Scottish gender legislation, which intends to facilitate lawful recognition of individuals as their desired sex.

The 57-year-old writer caused controversy when she liked a tweet declaring that hormone prescriptions are the new antidepressants. Many Twitter users viewed this as an assumption that trans people are mentally unwell as well as an insinuation that those who take anti-depressants are lazy.

J.K. Rowling tweeted in response to a comment about how the post how COVID-19 was affecting women who have periods. The post mocked trans people by suggesting that period-free women are not real women.

The author was notably absent from HBO Max's Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return To Hogwarts special, which gathers cast members and some film directors. However, she explained that she refused an invitation to be included in the special.