JK Rowling reveals Twitter abuse and “pipebomb” threats

20 July 2021, 10:24

J.K. Rowling has tweeted about threats and abuse she has received on Twitter following a series of controversial tweets last year about gender and transgender rights.

The author shared a photo of a tweet on July 19 to her 14 million followers which stated: “I wish you a very nice pipebomb in mailbox”.

She wrote: “to be fair, when you can’t get a woman sacked, arrested or dropped by her publisher, and cancelling her only made her book sales go up, there’s really only one place to go.”

In the same thread, she responded to one Twitter user who questioned: “Is this still because of her comments about the safety of women in toilets/changing rooms if men can use them by simply saying they identify as a woman?”

“Yes, but now hundreds of trans activists have threatened to beat, rape, assassinate and bomb me I’ve realised that this movement poses no risk to women whatsoever.”

It comes a year after the author’s controversial tweet about an article that referred to “people” who menstruate, rather than “women”.

She concluded by thanking fans for their support, adding: “Got to get back to my chapter now, but to all the people sending me beautiful, kind, funny and supportive messages, thank you so much”.

The tweets sparked heated debate on the social media platform. SNP MP Joanna Cherry tweeted her gratitude to the author: “Proud to stand with @jk_rowling in defending #WomensRights. She’s right that the escalation from harassment of women who speak up to trying to get them sacked or criminalised to threats of violence is common. It’s time more people with power called this out.”

Meanwhile, artist and author Fox Fisher tweeted: “Leaving the same literary agency as JK Rowling felt awful at the time, particularly in the aftermath. A year later, I've healed & moved on. Standing up for what you believe in is challenging & freeing. Being trans isn't a debate, it's our lived experience / quest for happiness”.