J.K. Rowling is considered one of the most successful authors of all time for writing the fictional Harry Potter series, but her real-life opinions have stirred controversy.
The author first came under fire in 2007 shortly after the series’ final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was published. Rowling revealed to fans at Carnegie Hall that Albus Dumbledore had romantic feelings for his friend turned rival, Gellert Grindelwald, when they were teenagers.
“Dumbledore fell in love with Grindelwald, and that added to his horror when Grindelwald showed himself to be what he was,” Rowling said at the time. Some fans took issue with the revelation because Dumbledore’s sexuality was never explicitly mentioned in the book series.
The Casual Vacancy author faced backlash again in December 2019 when she publicly supported British researcher Maya Forstater, who was fired after making transphobic comments.
Her comments — which she later defended in a lengthy essay — caused celebrities including Daniel Radcliffe, Eddie Redmayne and Emma Watson to voice their allyship with the transgender community.
Scroll down to see Rowling’s most controversial moments throughout the years.