J.K. Rowling has reportedly contributed £70,000 to For Women Scotland (FWS), a group contesting the legal interpretation of “woman” under the 2018 Gender Representation on Public Boards Act.
The Act seeks to balance gender representation on public boards, defining “women” to include trans women holding a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) – something FWS opposes, arguing it could undermine women’s rights and affect single-sex spaces.
The Court of Session dismissed the group’s appeal in November. However, FWS was granted permission to escalate the matter to the UK Supreme Court, leading to a crowdfunding campaign on CrowdJustice to finance the legal proceedings.
Reports from multiple news sources, including The Times and The Daily Mail, suggest that Rowling’s donation came shortly after the campaign’s launch under the name “JK.” Accompanying her donation, a message expressed pride and gratitude towards FWS’s efforts, labelling the case as historic.
Rowling’s donation has not been formally confirmed by her representatives, who have declined to comment on her personal contributions. Meanwhile, FWS has openly acknowledged Rowling’s support on social media, expressing astonishment and gratitude for the overwhelming response to their crowdfunding efforts, which have surpassed £133,400 from over 2,000 contributors.
Rowling has been a polarizing figure since expressing support for gender-critical views, starting in 2019 with her backing of Maya Forstater and later critiquing language in an op-ed about menstruation in 2020. Despite backlash, including from stars of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises, Rowling has maintained her stance, claiming her views are widely misunderstood and never intended to cause harm.
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