Latest news with #JKRowlingWomen'sFund
Express Tribune
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
No magic here: San Francisco bookstore shelves go Potter-free over J.K. Rowling's views
BBC announces British author J K Rowling's first adult novel, The Casual Vacancy, will be adapted for the small screen. A well-known bookstore in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury neighborhood has pulled all Harry Potter titles from its shelves in response to J.K. Rowling's continued stance against transgender rights. The Booksmith recently announced the decision on its website, referencing Rowling's alleged use of her Harry Potter earnings to support the 'JK Rowling Women's Fund' - an initiative the store claims is aimed at restricting trans rights in workplaces, public life, and spaces designated for women. 'This isn't just about a difference in opinion,' the store's statement explained. 'It's about refusing to give shelf space to someone actively working against marginalised communities.' The Booksmith clarified that while they once stocked Rowling's books due to customer demand, they now believe carrying them contradicts their values. The decision is a public stand in solidarity with the trans community, a move applauded by some and criticised by others online. Rowling's views have long sparked controversy, particularly among fans of the Harry Potter series. While she has denied being transphobic, her public statements and recent financial contributions to gender-critical organisations have led many readers, activists, and institutions to distance themselves from her work. This isn't the first time booksellers or libraries have made headlines over Rowling's views, but The Booksmith's choice stands out as part of a broader cultural reckoning with how public figures' actions impact the communities that once embraced them. The store concluded its message by affirming support for the trans community.
San Francisco Chronicle
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco bookstore pulls ‘Harry Potter' books over J.K. Rowling's anti-trans pledge
A popular San Francisco bookstore has removed the 'Harry Potter' series from its shelves after author J.K. Rowling announced she would use franchise profits to support efforts aimed at rolling back transgender rights. Booksmith, located on Haight Street, said via statement, it would no longer carry Rowling's books following the author's pledge to fund the 'JK Rowling Women's Fund,' which she described as an organization committed to removing transgender protections 'in the workplace, in public life, and in protected female spaces.' 'We don't know exactly what her 'women's fund' will entail, but we know that we aren't going to be a part of it,' Booksmith wrote in a blog post Monday, June 23. 'As a group of queer booksellers, we also had our adolescents shaped by wizards and elves. Look at us, it's obvious.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Booksmith (@booksmithsf) Rowling has said the fund will provide legal support for women who challenge inclusive gender policies. 'Promoting the idea that men can become women by performing their idea of what a woman is — which, funnily enough, often turns out to be a pornified sex object — does not liberate women and girls,' she wrote in a statement on X last month, criticizing transgender activism. While Booksmith acknowledged the series' formative role for many readers, they urged fans to purchase used copies or explore their curated list of fantasy alternatives. The list includes Jessica Townsend's 'Nevermoor' series, Ursula K. Le Guin's seminal 'Earthsea Cycle' and Philip Pullman's 'His Dark Materials' trilogy. Other featured titles include 'Where the Mountain Meets the Moon' by Grace Lin, the 'Tristan Strong' series by Kwame Mbalia, 'Hurricane Child' by Kacen Callender and Rick Riordan's 'The Heroes of Olympus' series.
