JK Rowling after it was speculated that she could be arrested after a new hate-crime law was introduced in Scotland.Before authoring any of the Harry Potter novels that would eventually establish her as a household name and make her one of the wealthiest people in the United Kingdom, English-born Rowling moved to Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, in the 1990s.She has gained notoriety in more recent years for expressing her contentious opinions on transgender people, which some LGBTQ+ activists have labeled as "transphobic," a term Rowling has always refuted.But regardless of her perception about the matter, a minister of the ruling Scottish National Party (SNP) has stated that some of her comments, including deliberately labeling someone by the incorrect gender, could land her in hot water under Scotland's new Hate Crime and Public Order Act.Siobhian Brown, the minister for victims and community safety, told The Daily Telegraph that, for example, calling a transgender woman "he," instead of by the pronouns which align with their gender identity, could be considered a criminal offense.However, Police Scotland has since said in a statement that the author's social media posts about transgender people are not being treated as criminal. "We have received complaints in relation to the social media post.
The comments are not assessed to be criminal and no further action will be taken," said a spokesperson.Rowling has criticized the new law in a slew of posts on X, formerly Twitter.
While some people online have denounced Rowling's view, some famous faces have supported the author.A representative for Rowling declined to comment when approached by Newsweek via email on Wednesday.One person who has defended Rowling is Jordan Peterson, a clinical psychologist and cultural critic who has garnered attention for his controversial views on gender, identity, and political correctness.Peterson shared one of Rowling's recent posts where she criticized transgender activist Beth.