LGBTQ+ comedian Bowen Yang took a pointed jab at JK Rowling’s views on trans rights during the latest episode of Saturday Night Live, dressing up as Harry Potter’s beloved house elf Dobby for a scathing sketch.
The parody follows renewed media attention on Rowling, after she branded Harry Potter actress Emma Watson “ignorant” in response to Watson lamenting the ongoing rift between them. Rowling has repeatedly sparked controversy over her “gender-critical” stance, which has been widely criticised as transphobic.
Dressed as Dobby, Yang addressed the camera in his signature cheeky tone:
“Scared? Why would Dobby be scared, sir? Dobby’s just about to publicly weigh in on trans people, that’s all.”
He continued, “Master sent Dobby to go on the telly and define, once and for all, what a woman is, sir.”
The segment then shifted into full satire, as Yang/Dobby gave a tongue-in-cheek summary of Rowling’s inconsistent approach to inclusion:
“Master Rowling has done so much for Dobby and for inclusion in general. Remember when Dumbledore was gay… after the books came out? And when Hermione was Black, only on Broadway? And when Cho Chang was…” — trailing off — “Hmm… was Cho Chang Asian? Dobby can’t remember.”
Referencing Rowling’s framing of herself as a victim of so-called “cancel culture,” Yang delivered one final punch:
“Perhaps house elves are somehow always the problem, even though we’re only one per cent of the population. But house elves aren’t the victims, master Rowling is. She gets so much hate mail.”
The segment ended with Yang revealing a T-shirt featuring the author’s face alongside the phrase “They-K Rowling.”
Rowling’s History of Trans Controversy
JK Rowling has been criticised for her public comments on trans people since 2019. She recently marked what she dubbed “TERF VE Day” (referencing “trans-exclusionary radical feminist”) — celebrating the UK Labour Party’s shift toward restricting gender-affirming care.
Her once-close relationship with the Harry Potter cast has also deteriorated. Last year, she said she would not forgive Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, or Rupert Grint for voicing support for the transgender community.
