J.K. Rowling is using her wealth to finance an organisation dedicated to removing trans rights. The Harry Potter author has an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion, which is being put towards her so-called ‘Women’s Fund’, which she announced on Saturday, May 24.
According to the website, the organisation will offer financial support to individuals and groups fighting trans inclusion “in the workplace, in public life, and in protected female spaces” to set legal precedents and force policy change. It is entirely privately funded by Rowling, with all applications being assessed by the JKRWF board.
The fund is open to people or groups based in the UK or Ireland, with the eligibility checklist asking questions like: “Has your capacity to earn a living been affected by your beliefs about biological sex being unchangeable?”; “Have you been forced to adopt policies regarding female-only spaces, safeguarding, personal welfare or employment that you fundamentally disagree with?”; and “Does your organisation campaign for women’s sex-based rights, or has it been forced to adopt policies regarding female-only spaces or trans inclusion that you fundamentally disagree with?”
This is not the first time Rowling has used her wealth to target trans rights. In 2024, she donated £70,000 to For Women Scotland, the group that took a case to the UK Supreme Court regarding the legal definition of ‘woman’. The court ruled in favour of the organisation, declaring that trans women were not protected from misogyny under the Equality Act 2010.
After the result, the author posted a picture of herself having a drink and smoking a cigar. “I love it when a plan comes together,” the caption read.
The post was widely criticised, including by The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal. The actor said it was “Voldemort villain sh*t,” and “Heinous LOSER behavior”. Pascal, whose sister Luxe is trans, additionally urged his followers to not “buy a single Harry Potter thing ever,” which includes boycotting the upcoming HBO series and attractions at Universal Studios theme parks.
“It’s time to tell these corporations that transphobia loses money,” he shared.
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