JK Rowling's name featured on Fantastic Beasts promo after being largely excluded amid trans row

JK Rowling's name featured on Fantastic Beasts promo after being largely excluded amid trans row
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Jamie  Micklethwaite

By Jamie Micklethwaite


Published: 08/04/2022

- 15:34

The Harry Potter author has caused controversy over her views on transgender rights

Harry Potter author JK Rowling's name has reappeared in promotional material for the latest Fantastic Beasts filmed, after it appeared to have magically disappeared.

Ms Rowling has drawn criticism for views on trans women, causing former cast members of the film to distance themselves from her.


She was also cancelled by two schools who chose to remove her name.

But Warner Bros appear to have had a change of heart, with her name featuring heavily on the trailer.

JK Rowling's name in the trailer
JK Rowling's name in the trailer
Warner Bros

JK Rowling was present the world premiere of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore in London.

The Harry Potter author, 56, was joined on the red carpet by stars including Jude Law, Eddie Redmayne and Mads Mikkelsen.

Rowling posed outside the Royal Festival Hall in London wearing a blue gown.

Last week, she responded to Russian president Vladimir Putin after he reportedly referenced her during a speech condemning “cancel culture” in the West.

The author said on Twitter that “critiques of Western cancel culture are possibly not best made by those currently slaughtering civilians for the crime of resistance”.

This was after she accused Sir Keir Starmer of misrepresenting equalities law, claiming Labour can “no longer be counted on to defend women’s rights”.

JK Rowling arrives for the World Premiere of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore at the Royal Festival Hall in London. Picture date: Tuesday March 29, 2022.
JK Rowling on the red carpet
Ian West

Sir Keir told The Times “trans women are women” according to statute in the UK, and called for a more “considered, respectful, tolerant debate” about gender.

But Rowling said he had misrepresented the law, which she said indicated “the Labour Party can no longer be counted on to defend women’s rights”.

Sharing an article on Twitter about a Tory police and crime commissioner reportedly reprimanded for her comments on gender issues, she said: “I don’t think our politicians have the slightest idea how much anger is building among women from all walks of life at the attempts to threaten and intimidate them out of speaking publicly about their own rights, their own bodies and their own lives.

“Among the thousands of letters and emails I’ve received are disillusioned members of Labour, the Greens, the Lib Dems and the SNP. Women are scared, outraged and angry at the deaf ear turned to their well-founded concerns. But women are organising.

“Now @Keir_Starmer publicly misrepresents equalities law, in yet another indication that the Labour Party can no longer be counted on to defend women’s rights. But I repeat: women are organising across party lines, and their resolve and their anger are growing.”

Rowling appeared to be referring to comments attributed to the Labour leader in an article in The Times.

Asked to define a woman, he told the newspaper: “A woman is a female adult, and in addition to that trans women are women, and that is not just my view – that is actually the law.

“It has been the law through the combined effects of the 2004 [Gender Recognition] Act and the 2010 [Equality] Act. So that’s my view. It also happens to be the law in the United Kingdom.”

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