J.K. Rowling has once again sparked controversy with a fresh attack on the trans community, this time targeting British retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S).
The dispute stems from a customer complaint about a trans staff member who allegedly approached her and her daughter in the women’s lingerie section, asking if they needed assistance. M&S later apologized to the mother, though the company clarified that the employee was not trained for bra fittings and had simply been offering to help them find the right part of the store.
Despite that clarification, Rowling used the incident to accuse M&S of “flouting” a recent U.K. Supreme Court ruling that legally defines a person’s sex as their biological sex. The author told her 15 million X (formerly Twitter) followers it was “time to vote with their wallets,” claiming stores like M&S were prioritizing “the wishes of men” over women’s safety in female-only spaces.
Critics say Rowling misrepresented the situation, painting the employee’s neutral interaction as something inappropriate. Pink News reported that the worker’s role had nothing to do with fitting bras, and the approach was part of standard customer service.
The online reaction was swift. Many called out Rowling for misleading her followers and fueling unnecessary hostility toward trans people. Some highlighted the hypocrisy of encouraging a boycott while her own Harry Potter merchandise remains on M&S shelves. Others argued that such a boycott could harm thousands of women employed by the chain, potentially impacting the very group Rowling claims to defend.
While her comments have generated heated debate, there’s little indication the boycott will gain traction. Critics see it as yet another example of the billionaire author using her platform to punch down, while M&S’s muted defense of the employee has also drawn disappointment from LGBTQ+ advocates.
