After a two-week silence online, J.K. Rowling returned to social media with more hatred directed at Algerian boxer Imane Khelif.
The notoriously transphobic writer resurfaced on X (formerly known as Twitter) after her rare social media silence. Following her tweet on August 8, she posted for the first time on August 23 and wasted no time in reigniting controversy, targeting the Olympic gold medalist.
Highlights
- J.K. Rowling returned to X after a two-week silence with controversial tweets directed at Imane Khelif.
- The 'Harry Potter' author shared an article claiming Imane’s makeover is a PR campaign to distract from transparency about her gender.
- Comments slammed Rowling's tweet, accusing her of creating a narrative and insulting the athlete.
- She is facing a cyberbullying lawsuit filed by the Olympic gold-winning medalist.
She returned to X to share an article by evolutionary biologist Colin Wright, who claimed that Imane’s post-Olympics makeover is nothing more than a "hyper-feminizing PR campaign" designed to distract people from the real issue: transparency about her gender.
After nearly two weeks of silence, J.K. Rowling returned to X with more controversial tweets
Image credits: Mike Marsland/WireImage via Getty Images
Image credits: Jeux Olympiques / Imane Khelif via Instagram
The polarizing literary icon quoted one of the statements in Colin's article in her tweet: "It’s important to highlight that launching a PR campaign and applying layers of thick makeup requires far more time and effort than simply making DNA test results public."
A number of people in the comments section slammed the contentious public figure for her tweet.
The Harry Potter author continued her online attack on Algerian Olympic boxer Imane Khelif
“Born a woman. Raised a woman. Trained as a woman. Competed as a woman over multiple years without issue,” said one Imane supporter. “You inventing a narrative and refusing to budge from it is why you've been so roundly mocked these last few weeks and why your lawyers will be very busy in the months to come.”
Another comment said, “I am not sure what you are achieving here Joanne. You made a mistake, and now you are insulting her. The issue around gender equality is incredibly complex as you know, but perhaps your lawyers need to make this simpler for you.”
Earlier this month, the gold-winning Olympian flaunted a completely new look with pink eyeliner and lip gloss
“It was so nice when you were following legal advice to shut the f--- up,” read another comment, suggesting Rowling's two-week social media hiatus was likely due to her lawyers' recommendations after Imane filed a cyberbullying lawsuit against her.
The Harry Potter author was one of the big names part of the crusade against the 25-year boxer, apart from Elon Musk and Donald Trump.
The controversy began during the 2024 Olympics, where Imane faced significant backlash after her victory over Italian boxer Angela Carini. Almost immediately after the win, the Olympic gold winner faced allegations of being a man in a women’s sport.
The polarizing literary icon was one of the big names mentioned in the recent lawsuit
Rowling had shared a picture from the Algerian boxer’s match with Angela and accused her of being “a man enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head.”
She described her well-earned victory as a form of “men reveling in their power over women.”
For all the emotional turmoil Imane went through, she is now seeking justice through a lawsuit filed with French authorities. She has named Rowling and Elon in the cyber harassment lawsuit.
“J. K. Rowling and Elon Musk are named in the lawsuit, among others,” Nabil Boudi, her Paris-based attorney, told Variety.
The stars could face hefty fines and possibly even a prison sentence if the Olympic champion comes out victorious on the other side of the lawsuit.