Latest news with #Rowling
Scotsman
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
How SNP's dithering over single-sex spaces and JK Rowling's generosity could cost taxpayers dear
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The announcement last week from the author JK Rowling that she has established a women's fund to support legal cases for women who wish to protect their sex-based rights should be causing sleepless nights for Scottish Government ministers, and for the finance directors of public bodies such as local authorities and NHS boards. All these organisations are now at risk of litigation which could see extensive payouts of taxpayers' cash to women whose rights have been denied. Rowling's generosity is entirely in character with her robust stance in speaking up for women who have suffered discrimination because of their gender-critical views. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This latest initiative will mean that those, like NHS Fife nurse Sandie Peggie, who have lost out simply because they refused to quietly share spaces with biological men, will now be able to access funds to help them stand up to authorities who have endless sums of taxpayers' money to defend legal cases. Members of the For Women Scotland campaign group celebrate the Supreme Court ruling about the definition of the word 'woman' (Picture: Henry Nicholls) | AFP via Getty Images Serious legal consequences It comes in the wake of the interim guidance issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in response to the Supreme Court judgment in the For Women Scotland case. That guidance makes it clear that public bodies must ensure that workplaces have single-sex toilets and changing and washing facilities should these be required. For providers of services that are open to the public, these do not have to be provided on a single-sex basis, but a woman could have a claim for indirect sex discrimination if the only provision is mixed-sex. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Despite this interim guidance being issued more than a month ago, and having serious legal consequences, public bodies in Scotland have been slow to adjust their practices. To give just one example, my own local authority, Perth and Kinross Council, in response to a freedom of information request submitted by the Free Speech Union Scotland, has stated that individuals are permitted to access single-sex facilities that align with their self-identified gender. This position is entirely contrary to the law as stated by the Supreme Court, and fails to provide adequate protection for female workers. Holyrood's swift action One body which moved quickly, and appropriately, to ensure that the law was complied with was the Scottish Parliament itself. Earlier this month the Presiding Officer, Alison Johnstone MSP, set out an interim position in response to the court ruling, making it clear that toilets designated as male or female only are to be interpreted as meaning biological sex, whilst ensuring that there will be gender-neutral facilities available to everyone, including members of the trans community. This ruling has now been challenged by some 17 MSPs from the SNP, Green, Liberal Democrat and Labour parties (no Scottish Conservatives were daft enough to sign up) in an open letter expressing 'deep concern' about the decision, which they claim risks exposing trans and non-binary individuals to humiliation, harassment or worse. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The letter has been written on the basis of legal advice from the ironically titled Good Law Project, headed up by the one-time fox-killer Jolyon Maugham KC, currently involved in an online spat with Rowling which might well end up with him being on the wrong end of a writ for defamation. Far better lawyers than either I or the Good Law Project have been clear that the EHRC's interim guidance accurately interprets the Supreme Court judgment, and it is disappointing to see this group of MSPs relying upon such poor-quality legal advice. Bizarrely, one of the signatories to the letter is Green MSP Maggie Chapman, herself a member of the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body, and therefore of the group who took the decision to issue the new 'transphobic toilet rules' (sic) which are being complained about. In an unexpected twist, Ms Chapman now appears to be disagreeing with herself. Tip of the iceberg The more serious issue is what exactly this means for public bodies and their finances. There is the potential here for a whole series of compensation claims from female workers in local authorities, in the NHS, or in other public bodies, who have been denied their gender-based rights. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad We have already seen with the Sandie Peggie case that an individual is able to challenge an NHS board which does not properly protect a woman concerned about having to share changing facilities with a biologically male trans woman. This case could be simply the tip of the iceberg with many hundreds or thousands of similar claims to follow. Now a female prisoner is threatening to sue the Scottish Prison Service after being forced to share a cell with a transgender woman. Jane Sutherley, in jail for culpable homicide, could be in line for a payout of taxpayer funds due to the SPS adopting a policy of gender self-identification – a policy which we now know is unlawful. Any female employee who has had to share toileting or changing facilities with a biological male identifying as a woman, whether or not that individual holds a gender recognition certificate, could potentially have a compensation claim. And any public body not moving immediately to fully implement the EHRC interim guidance puts itself at risk from a flood of litigation. JK Rowling's generosity means that any woman in that position will not lack the resources necessary to take a legal case. The cost to the public purse, both in terms of legal fees in defending any such actions and then in potential compensation payouts, could be enormous. The lack of awareness of the risks here – and the apparent absence of any sense of urgency – from both the Scottish Government and public bodies is quite staggering. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Ink, ideology, and a billion-dollar empire: The J.K. Rowling story
The magical business of words Live Events Beyond Harry Potter Philanthropy, politics and privacy (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel If outrage were a Horcrux, J.K. Rowling has faced seven. Yet none have managed to destroy the legacy she built with seven books, eight films, and a world that refuses to stop believing. With a wand of iron will and a fortune guarded by dark magic, the architect of Hogwarts is once again a billionaire, proving one thing: her magic doesn't fade under the Forbes' Billionaires List 2025 , the British author has reclaimed her spot with an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion. She is one of only five female billionaires who are self-made, and she is the first author to reach a billion-dollar status, according to Forbes , which included her as a billionaire for the first time in their 2004 rich Harry Potter series may be aimed at young readers, but the books deal with serious themes: death, trauma, sacrifice, and the abuse of power. That willingness to explore darkness in fiction mirrors aspects of her public persona. In recent years, Rowling has been in the spotlight not just for her stories but for her outspoken political views, especially on gender and sex-based of Rowling's wealth comes from her strict control of the Harry Potter brand. She owns the intellectual property rights and licenses them through her own company, The Blair Partnership. That control means she gets a cut from every merchandise, adaptation, or theme park ticket sold under the Harry Potter franchise has sold over 600 million books in 85 languages, and the original eight films brought in $7.7 billion at the box office. The Wizarding World now includes theme park attractions at Universal Studios in Orlando, Hollywood, and Japan, and the stage production Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which continues to play in major 2023, the Hogwarts Legacy video game grossed over $1.1 billion, making it one of the year's best-selling games. Rowling doesn't directly profit from the game, but she still earns through licensing fees as the creator of the HBO's streaming platform Max is rebooting the Harry Potter series into a decade-long television project. Rowling will serve as an executive producer and retains creative control, ensuring her vision continues to shape the Potter is the foundation of her fortune, Rowling has also found success beyond the wizarding world. Under the pen name Robert Galbraith, she writes the Cormoran Strike crime novels with a loyal readership and a BBC TV also founded Pottermore, a digital hub for Harry Potter fans that has evolved into Wizarding World Digital. The platform offers games, quizzes, eBooks, and immersive content and helps maintain fan engagement and brand her wealth, Rowling is not often seen in celebrity circles. She lives a private life in Scotland and rarely appears in the media. However, she is active in philanthropy. She has donated hundreds of millions to charities, including her foundation, Lumos, which works to end the institutionalisation of children comments, often posted on X, have drawn criticism from trans rights groups, activists, and even the stars of the Harry Potter films like Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson. Rowling, however, has refused to be silenced. She continues to engage in public debates, asserting her views on women's rights and freedom of speech. While the backlash led to calls for boycotts, it did little to dent her philanthropy is one reason she reportedly fell off Forbes' billionaire list years ago. But with the success of her expanding franchise, she has returned quietly.J.K. Rowling's story is a rare one. Few writers achieve even a fraction of her success. Even fewer manage to retain ownership of their work, guide its expansion, and withstand public scrutiny the way she has.
Buzz Feed
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
J.K. Rowling Has Anti-Trans Fund From Harry Potter Wealth
J.K. Rowling has created a new organization that is a "legal fighting fund for women protecting their sex-based rights," furthering her financial commitment to funding anti-trans legislation. The UK Supreme Court made headlines last month for its ruling that meant that trans women can no longer be legally considered women. Rowling herself celebrated the move and had contributed the equivalent of $92,000 to the group that brought the case against the Scottish government. Last week, the Harry Potter author posted on X saying that she'd "happily fund" legal action "on the basis of sex discrimination." She then confirmed that she'd support a cis woman incarcirated with a transgender woman who wanted to sue, writing, "I'd give financial backing to any woman who wanted to sue because she suffered detriments through being incarcerated with a man." The "J.K. Rowling Women's Fund," which appears to have been created recently, is a private fund, meaning that it gets its money from Rowling's personal wealth. This means that others cannot donate, as she clarified on X, "I looked into all options and a private fund is the most efficient, streamlined way for me to do this." For one, the group funds women and organizations who believe they have been made to comply with "unreasonable inclusion policies" or who have faced professional difficulties because of their "expressed beliefs." Screening questions include asking organizations whether they have "been forced to adopt policies regarding female-only spaces or trans inclusion that you fundamentally disagree with." The news of Rowling's fund comes as HBO has finalized the casting for their series based on the book. As per Forbes, she's estimated to earn around $20 million per year for her involvement in the series. The creation of the fund subsequently attracted backlash, furthering calls for a boycott of licensed Harry Potter products. Meanwhile, Rowling has continued to post anti-trans rhetoric on X, including referring to trans women and "men in skirts" and accusing them of coordinating "a hostile takeover." It's certainly not the first time people have called for a boycott — Pedro Pascal even chimed in last month to write of Rowling, "Awful disgusting SHIT is exactly right. Heinous LOSER behavior." This morning, Forbes wrote that "Rowling's business empire is now larger than ever" and she is once again a billionaire.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
JK Rowling donates to female-only breastfeeding group in NHS protest
JK Rowling is supporting female-only breastfeeding support groups in protest of the NHS. Many NHS trusts across the country dropped the term 'mother' for terms like 'birthing person' and 'people who have ovaries'. Some services suggested that 'chestfeeding' by transgender women, who are biological males, was comparable to new mothers feeding with breast milk. Chestfeeding involves prescribing a combination of drugs to a transgender woman to allow them to produce milk to feed a baby. The Harry Potter author has now donated to a new breastfeeding support group that was set up in opposition to the health service's inclusion of transgender parents in post-natal support. MoMa Breastfeeding is a new non-profit organisation which is 'dedicated to supporting mothers who wish to breastfeed their children'. The group has stated: 'We saw that skills and knowledge were being lost through changes in language and the abandonment of mother-centred practice. 'We realised that support for mothers and children that protects the mother-baby dyad is needed more than ever. That is why we have founded MoMa Breastfeeding.' The volunteer-led organisation said its sessions will be entirely single-sex, excluding transgender women who are taking drugs to induce lactation. The charity makes an exception for the baby boys who may be breastfed. Ms Rowling announced her support for the group on X, stating: 'I've donated to this new breastfeeding support charity. Mother-to-mother support is incredibly important at what many women can find a challenging time.' The NHS has been plagued by scandals about efforts to include transgender people in post-natal services. In 2021, it emerged that midwives at the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust were told to use gender-inclusive language, including 'mothers or birthing parents', 'breast/chestfeeding' and 'maternal and parental'. In 2024, University of Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust said that the milk produced by trans women after taking a combination of drugs is 'comparable to that produced following the birth of a baby'. That same year, Miriam Main, the director of the large breastfeeding support charity La Leche, quit her role over biological males being taught a 'poor imitation of breastfeeding' in classes. She said at the time: 'I hope that the wonderful work of hundreds of women is not lost through mixing causes and politics.' Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, has sought to put an end to the encroachment of 'ideological hobby horses' into women's services, and called for an end to 'misguided' diversity, equality and inclusion practices in the NHS. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
JK Rowling donates to female-only breastfeeding charity in NHS protest
JK Rowling is supporting female-only breastfeeding support groups in protest of the NHS. Many NHS trusts across the country dropped the term 'mother' for terms like 'birthing person' and 'people who have ovaries'. Some services suggested that 'chestfeeding' by transgender women, who are biological males, was comparable to new mothers feeding with breast milk. Chestfeeding involves prescribing a combination of drugs to a transgender woman to allow them to produce milk to feed a baby. The Harry Potter author has now donated to a new breastfeeding support group that was set up in opposition to the health service's inclusion of transgender parents in post-natal support. MoMa Breastfeeding is a new charity which is 'dedicated to supporting mothers who wish to breastfeed their children'. The charity has stated: 'We saw that skills and knowledge were being lost through changes in language and the abandonment of mother-centred practice. 'We realised that support for mothers and children that protects the mother-baby dyad is needed more than ever. That is why we have founded MoMa Breastfeeding.' The volunteer-led and charity funded organisation said its sessions will be entirely single-sex, excluding transgender women who are taking drugs to induce lactation. The charity makes an exception for the baby boys who may be breastfed. Rowling announced her support for the charity on X, stating: 'I've donated to this new breastfeeding support charity. Mother-to-mother support is incredibly important at what many women can find a challenging time.' I've donated to this new breastfeeding support charity. Mother-to-mother support is incredibly important at what many women can find a challenging time. 1/2 — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 29, 2025 The NHS has been plagued by scandals about efforts to include transgender people in post-natal services. In 2021, it emerged that midwives at the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust were told to use gender-inclusive language, including 'mothers or birthing parents', 'breast/chestfeeding' and 'maternal and parental'. In 2024, University of Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust said that the milk produced by trans women after taking a combination of drugs is 'comparable to that produced following the birth of a baby'. That same year, Miriam Main, the director of the large breastfeeding support charity La Leche, quit her role over biological males being taught a 'poor imitation of breastfeeding' in classes. She said at the time: 'I hope that the wonderful work of hundreds of women is not lost through mixing causes and politics.' Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, has sought to put an end to the encroachment of 'ideological hobby horses' into women's services, and called for an end to 'misguided' diversity, equality and inclusion practices in the NHS.
